SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME SARS

1
SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME (SARS)
2
University Strategy

• premise SARS will persist
• balance
• public health
• academic objectives
• strategy
• isolate
• contain
• treat

3
Identification

• Symptoms
• fever above 38ºC and
• muscle aches or breathing problems or dry cough
• and
• traveled to China, Hong Kong, Toronto (Canada),
  Vietnam (affected areas) within 2 weeks of
  onset of the symptoms or
• close contact (cared for, lived with, or having
  had direct contact with respiratory secretions
  and body fluids) with persons diagnosed with SARS

4
Transmission

• Only infectious when there are symptoms, which
  only appear after the incubation period of 3-10
  days.
• Transmission through close contact with infected
  persons, and droplets.
• Virus may survive for up to 3 hours on objects.
• Do take extra care with personal hygiene
• wash hands frequently
• avoid coughing or sneezing on others
• ensure that your accommodation is well
  ventilated.

5
Precautions

• If you are unwell, especially if you have the
  SARS symptoms, but have had no contact with any
  SARS case and have not been to affected areas
• do not come to campus
• immediately consult a doctor and notify the
  University Health and Wellness Centre by
  telephone at 6874-2880
• If you do not have any symptoms, but have been in
  contact with a SARS case or have been to the
  affected areas, please stay at home for 10 days.
  If you remain well, you are clear.

6
Reporting

• If you have the symptoms and have been in contact
  with a SARS case or been to the affected areas
• immediately inform Ministry of Health (tel
  1800-225-4122) and University Health and Wellness
  Centre (tel [phone]), and
• consult doctor

7
Travel and Leave

• students must apply to their Department for leave
  to travel to affected areas between now and last
  examination
• student returning from the affected areas must
  report by telephone to Department and University
  residence (if they reside on campus), and
  self-quarantine for 10 days
• research scholars who leave Singapore on or after
  April 1 10-day quarantine period will be
  counted as vacation

8
Examinations

• continue as scheduled from Monday, April 21 to
  Saturday, May 3
• students who are sick and those under
  officially-mandated quarantine
• IC (incomplete) grade
• make-up examination within three weeks of the
  last day of examinations
• if you are sick, please consult a doctor to
  complete Form RO.0020/03

9
Exchange/Non-graduating Students

• Convert module assessment to Satisfactory/
  Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade based on continuous
  assessment to date (without the final
  examination), and leave for home or
• Take examination at home institution, providing
  that suitable arrangements can be made

10
Contribution

• disseminate SARS policies to other students
• encourage all to comply with the new policies
• support relatives and friends under quarantine or
  treatment
• join in national effort to identify virus(es) and
  develop diagnostics, treatment, and vaccine

11
Updates

• Please refer to
• http//app.moh.gov.sg/new/new01.asp
• http//www.who.int/csr/sars/en/
• http//www.nus.edu.sg/sars