W H Seto from Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong, and colleagues assessed the precautions taken by 241 uninfected and 13 staff infected with SARS who had been exposed to 11 index patients with SARS. All participants were surveyed about use of mask, gloves, gowns, and hand-washing, as recommended under droplets and contact precautions when caring for index patients with SARS. 69 staff who reported use of all four measures were not infected, whereas all infected staff had omitted at least one measure. Without the surgical mask, the other measures together did not offer full protection against SARS infection.
WH Seto comments:"Masks seem to be essential for protection....the other three measures (without the mask) add no significant protection. This finding fits well with droplets transmission because droplets are generated at the face level making the mask crucial for protection."
This week's editorial (Will SARS hurt the world's poor? p 1485) discusses how SARS might affect a booming economy like China's (the fifth largest in the world, with over a 20% increase in merchandise imports and exports last year), the effect on other economies, and the overall effect this could have on public health.
SEE also COMMENTARY (SARS: experience at Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, p 1486)
Contact: Dr W H Seto, Department of Microbiology, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, People's, Republic of China;
E) whseto@ha.org.hk
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