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However,
there are precautionary measures that can be taken to limit
the spread of any disease. Essentially, there are two keys
to preventing the spread of a similar unknown disease in
the future.
First,
communication is of utmost importance. The fact that the
Chinese government did not alert international authorities
of the potential outbreak for the four months between November
2002 and February 2003 may have led to hundreds of preventable
deaths. On the other hand, the announcement made in February
2003 may have saved thousands more lives. Though modern
transportation technology may be the avenue through which
disease spreads, modern communication technology may also
be our greatest weapon in isolating an exposure.
Second,
hospitals must have the proper preparations in place to
handle an unknown, contagious disease. One of the largest
groups infected with SARS were healthcare workers, and sanitary
precautions, including wearing masks and eyewear, must be
taken when dealing with an unknown disease.
Furthermore,
although SARS is not believed to be an airborne disease,
this is no guarantee that a future outbreak will not be
either. Steps must be taken to prepare for this eventuality.
One preventative measure that should be taken in the case
of an unknown disease is the use of negative air pressure
filtration in the rooms of infected patients. This air filtration
technique can ensure that all air leaving the room of an
infected patient passes through an air purifier with a HEPA
filter and UV light
to trap and sterilize bacteria and viruses, significantly
limiting the spread of a disease. For relatively low cost,
a hospital or other medical facility can purchase portable
air purifiers that can be put in rooms to create negative
air pressure in the event that an unknown disease appears.
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