Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T08:25:25.371Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Foundations of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Preparedness and Response Plan for Healthcare Facilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Arjun Srinivasan*
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Lawrence C. McDonald
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Daniel Jernigan
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Rita Helfand
Affiliation:
Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Kathleen Ginsheimer
Affiliation:
Maine Bureau of Health, Augusta, Maine
John Jernigan
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Linda Chiarello
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Raymond Chinn
Affiliation:
Sharp Memorial Hospital, San Diego, California
Umesh Parashar
Affiliation:
Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Larry Anderson
Affiliation:
Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
Denise Cardo
Affiliation:
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, National Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia
*
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, MS-A35, Atlanta, GA 30333
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

To help facilities prepare for potential future cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Design and Participants:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), assisted by members of professional societies representing public health, healthcare workers, and healthcare administrators, developed guidance to help facilities both prepare for and respond to cases of SARS.

Interventions:

The recommendations in the CDC document were based on some of the important lessons learned in healthcare settings around the world during the SARS outbreak of 2003, including that (1) a SARS outbreak requires a coordinated and dynamic response by multiple groups; (2) unrecognized cases of SARS-associated coronavirus are a significant source of transmission; (3) restricting access to the healthcare facility can minimize transmission; (4) airborne infection isolation is recommended, but facilities and equipment may not be available; and (5) staffing needs and support will pose a significant challenge.

Conclusions:

Healthcare facilities were at the center of the SARS outbreak of 2003 and played a key role in controlling the epidemic. Recommendations in the CDC's SARS preparedness and response guidance for healthcare facilities will help facilities prepare for possible future outbreaks of SARS.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2004

References

1.World Health Organization. WHO Issues a Global Alert About Cases of Atypical Pneumonia: Cases of Severe Respiratory Illness May Spread to Hospital Staff. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003. Available at www.who.org.Google Scholar
2.Ksiazek, TG, Erdman, D, Goldsmith, CS, et al.A novel coronavirus associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome. N Engl J Med 2003;348:19531966.Google Scholar
3.Ho, AS, Sung, JJY, Chan-Yeung, M. An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome among hospital workers in a community hospital in Hong Kong. Ann Intern Med 2003;139:564567.Google Scholar
4.Booth, CM, Matukas, LM, Tomlinson, GA, et al.Clinical features and short-term outcomes of 144 patients with SARS in the greater Toronto area. JAMA 2003;289:28012809.Google Scholar
5.Anonymous. Severe acute respiratory syndrome: Taiwan, 2003. MMWR 2003;52:461466.Google Scholar
6.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public Health Guidance for Community-Level Preparedness and Response to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;2003. Available at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/sarsprepplan.htm.Google Scholar
7.Varia, M, Wilson, S, Sarwal, S, et al.Investigation of a nosocomial outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Toronto, Canada. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2003;169:285292.Google Scholar
8.Anonymous. Update: severe acute respiratory syndrome—Toronto, Canada, 2003. MMWR 2003;52:547550.Google Scholar
9.Lingappa, JR, McDonald, LC, Simone, P, Parashar, UD. Wrestling SARS from uncertainty. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:167170.Google Scholar
10.Farquharson, C, Baguley, K. Responding to the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak: lessons learned in a Toronto emergency department. Journal of Emergency Nursing 2003;29:222228.Google Scholar
11.Gopalakrishna, G, Choo, P, Leo, YS, et al.SARS transmission and hospital containment. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:395400.Google Scholar
12.World Health Organization. Consensus Document on the Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2003. Available at www.who.int/csr/sars/en/WHOconsensus.pdf.Google Scholar
13.Seto, WH, Tsang, D, Yung, RWH, et al.Effectiveness of precautions against droplets and contact in the prevention of nosocomial transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Lancet 2003;361:15191520.Google Scholar
14.Anonymous. Cluster of severe acute respiratory syndrome cases among protected health care workers: Toronto, Canada, April 2003. MMWR 2003;52:433436.Google Scholar
15.Anonymous. Severe acute respiratory syndrome: Singapore, 2003. MMWR 2003;52:405411.Google Scholar
16.Ignatius, TS, Yu, MB, Yuguo, L, et al.Evidence of airborne transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome virus. N Engl J Med 2004;350:17311739.Google Scholar
17.Fraser, VJ, Johnson, K, Primack, J, Jones, M, Medoff, G, Dunagan, WC. Evaluation of rooms with negative pressure ventilation used for respiratory isolation in seven midwestern hospitals. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 1993;14:619622.Google Scholar
18.Srinivasan, A, Jernigan, D, Liedyke, L, Strausbaugh, L. SARS preparedness plans and infrastructure in the United States: a survey of infectious disease specialists. Presented at the 41st Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America; October 9-12, 2003; San Diego, CA. Abstract LB-7.Google Scholar
19.McDonald, LC, Simore, A, Su, IJ, et al.SARS in healthcare facilities: Toronto and Taiwan. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:777781.Google Scholar
20.Lau, JTF, Fung, KS, Wong, TW, et al.SARS transmission among hospital workers in Hong Kong. Emerg Infect Dis 2004;10:280286.Google Scholar
21.Anonymous. Will your ED have staff quarantined for SARS? Brace yourself for the worst. ED Management 2003;15(suppl 1):4951.Google Scholar
22.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guideline for Isolation Precautions in Hospitals. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1994. Available at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/ISOLAT/Isolathtm.Google Scholar
23.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in healthcare facilities: 1994. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 1994. Available at www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00035909.htm.Google Scholar
24.Karanfil, LV, Conlon, M, Lykens, K, et al.Reducing the rate of nosocomially transmitted respiratory syncytial virus. Am J Infect Control 1999;27:9196.Google Scholar
25.Anonymous. Revised U.S. surveillance case definition for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and update on SARS cases United States and worldwide, December 2003. MMWR 2003;52:12021206.Google Scholar