CDC outlines its battle plan for SARS

The nation's public health community applauds the agency's draft document preparing for another SARS outbreak.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. Nov. 10, 2003.

Washington -- It's time for physicians to stockpile surgical masks and waterless hand-hygiene products and to become familiar with state quarantine laws. These will be the weapons of choice to fight SARS if another outbreak of this lethal respiratory disease should occur.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a lengthy draft document (www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/sarsprepplan.htm) outlining strategies to help doctors contain any future occurrence of the virus that grabbed the attention of the world last winter and spring.

"We don't know if we are going to see another SARS patient or not," said CDC Director Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH. "But we're living in the age of the new normal of emerging health threats. And this preparedness for SARS is going to pay off sooner or later, because if it's not SARS, it will be something else, and we'll be ready."

The CDC plan for severe acute respiratory syndrome is a "working document" that outlines the concepts and strategies that would guide the U.S. response in the event of an outbreak.

The plan was well received by those in public health. "It's a good plan," said Georges Benjamin, MD, director of the American Public Health Assn. "Every practicing physician needs to have a plan that answers such questions as what room are you going to use to examine someone? How will you decontaminate that room?"

Physicians also should think about protecting themselves and their staffs, Dr. Benjamin said. SARS seems to be spread via large droplets, and a surgical mask greatly diminishes that route of transmission, he added.