After SARS exposure, check for symptoms
CDC: Furlough workers with SARS symptoms
Transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to health care workers has occurred from unprotected exposure, before the infection control precautions were initiated, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported. Here is the CDC’s guidance for the management of exposure to SARS in health care settings:
- Exclusion from duty is recommended for a health care worker if fever or respiratory symptoms develop during the 10 days following an unprotected exposure to a SARS patient. Exclusion from duty should be continued for 10 days after the resolution of fever and respiratory symptoms. During this period, infected workers should avoid contact with people both in the facility and in the community.
- Exclusion from duty is not recommended for exposed health care workers if they do not have either fever or respiratory symptoms; however, the workers should report any unprotected exposure to SARS patients to the appropriate facility point of contact (e.g., infection control or occupational health) immediately.
- Active surveillance for fever and respiratory symptoms (e.g., daily screening) should be conducted on health care workers with unprotected exposure, and the worker should be vigilant for onset of illness. Workers with unprotected exposure developing such symptoms should not report for duty, but should stay home and report symptoms to the appropriate facility point of contact immediately. Recommendations for appropriate infection control for SARS patients in the home or residential setting are available at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars.
- Passive surveillance (e.g., review of occupational health or other sick leave records) should be conducted among all health care workers in a facility with a SARS patient, and all health care facility workers should be educated concerning the symptoms of SARS.
- Close contacts (e.g., family members) of SARS patients are at risk for infection. Close contacts with either fever or respiratory symptoms should not be allowed to enter the health care facility as visitors and should be educated about this policy. A system for screening SARS close contacts who are visitors to the facility for fever or respiratory symptoms should be in place. Health care facilities should educate all visitors about use of infection control precautions when visiting SARS patients and their responsibility for adherence to them.
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