How is the spread of SARS prevented in healthcare settings?
The CDC recommends that staff use standard precautions (e.g. Hand washing), contact precautions (e.g., use of gown and gloves for contact with the patient or their environment) and airborne precautions (e.g., an isolation room with negative pressure relative to the surrounding area). Q: Should patients suspected of having SARS undergo aerosol generating procedures? A: The CDC recommends that “aerosol-inducing procedures should be performed on patients who may have SARS only when such procedures are deemed medically necessary. These procedures should be performed using airborne precautions as previously described for other infectious agents, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Guidelines for Preventing the Transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Health-Care Facilities.” Q: Can airborne Coronaviruses be removed from the air by HEPA air purifiers? A: HEPA filters are 99.97% efficient removing particles 0.3 microns in size from the air. Theoretically, 0.3 microns is the most penetrat
