Re: SARS information for us

["" <jpevere@kmts.ca>]

Our Provincial Air Ambulance Base Hospital program has implemented the following guidelines for our protection from SARS, a concern to all of us here in Ontario in addition to the following, obviously all 3rd person rideouts have been suspended. The following applies to areas that are away from southern Ontario, where the risk of contact with SARS patients is reduced, I belive that operations working in the south are using Tyvek suits, masks, goggles and gloves for all patient contacts.
The following has been taken directly from our latest memo on SARS dated 29 Mar.

"FULL blood, body fluid and respiratory precautions must be taken for any patient who fits into any one of the following categories:

-	fever of 38 oC or higher
OR
-	any one of the following respiratory symptoms:  cough, shortness of breath, difficult breathing
OR
-	any one of the following:
	close contact* with a known or suspected SARS case within 10 days of symptoms onset
	history of travel to WHO reported areas affected with SARS (China’s Guangdong Province, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, or Singapore), within the 10 days of symptom onset
	exposure to Scarborough Grace Hospital (Toronto) or York Central Hospital (Richmond Hill) between March 16 and 28, 2003.
OR
-	no other known or identified cause of current illness
OR
-	flights terminating in the Greater Toronto Area, or Regions of Simcoe, Halton, or Durham

*the term “close contact” refers to having cared for, lived with or had face-to-face (within 1 meter) contact with, or having had direct contact with respiratory secretions or body fluid of a known SARS case


Precautions are not necessary for patients who do not meet the criteria listed above, unless indicated by another protocol, policy, or procedure."



---- Original Message -----
From: Rollie Parrish
Sent: 3/30/2003 2:29:16 AM
To: flightmed@flightweb.com
Subject: SARS information for us

> No doubt just about everyone has heard and read about the new deadly SARS
> (Severe Adult Respiratory Syndrome) virus. I wonder if anyone has found
> any information resources on-line for healthcare providers with solid
> recommendations for making a clinical diagnosis and for treatment?
> 
> Not to be alarmist, but it's just a matter of time before a patient with
> this diagnosis is transported by air from a small-town hospital or clinic.
> I can easily picture flight crews and others being exposed prior to
> recognizing it. Do any of the more progressive flight teams already have
> protocols or even just verbal guidelines on how to deal with this when it
> comes up?
> 
> -- 
> -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
> Rollie Parrish
> FlightWeb: For Air Medical Professionals
> http://www.flightweb.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Flightmed mailing list
> To unsubscribe or change your email address, go to http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/flightmed
> 


_______________________________________________
Flightmed mailing list
To unsubscribe or change your email address, go to http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/flightmed