Hospitals in Grey-Bruce to Resume SARS Screening

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hazel Lynn is recommending that hospitals in Grey and Bruce Counties resume SARS screening as of noon today.  “Due to the increased number of SARS cases in Toronto, it is prudent to reinstate the screening process at our hospitals.  We can better protect our hospital staff, patients and the community this way.  As well, by registering people going into hospitals we greatly simplify future tracing of contacts,” says Dr. Lynn. 

All outpatient services are active at this point.  Visits to hospitals will be limited and unnecessary visits are discouraged.  Visitors will be asked questions about their health prior to entering the hospital.  Expect delays because of this screening process.  People should check with their local hospitals for further details.

Dr. Lynn encourages people to cover their mouth when sneezing or coughing, wash their hands often, and stay at home if they are ill.  For further information call Public Health at 376-9420 or visit our web site at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca.

Attachments:
Coughs and Colds – Protecting Yourself and Others

For more information:
Dr. Hazel Lynn, Medical Officer of Health
Grey Bruce Health Unit
376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456

Coughs and Colds
- Protecting Yourself and Others -

 Given the recent outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), health professionals continue to emphasize three very important disease control measures:

1.     Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent respiratory illnesses.

Who should do it?
Everybody needs to wash their hands and probably more often than they realize.  Handwashing is one of the best actions we can take to protect ourselves from any respiratory illness.

When to do it?
After sneezing or coughing, and after contact with body/respiratory substances or fluids (for example, when you are diaper changing, assisting a child with blowing their nose, or assisting in toileting)

• Before and after meals and snack breaks

• Before and after using the toilet

• Before and after smoking cigarettes

• Before and after preparing food

• When arriving home and before and after work

• After handling pets

How to do it?

1. WET: Turn on the tap and get a flow of warm water. Hands should be washed with warm water not hot enough to hurt the skin.

2. SOAP: Use single use, liquid soap in a dispenser (antibacterial soap is not necessary).

3. SCRUB: Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds, ensuring that you wash between your fingers, the backs of your hands, your thumbs and under your fingernails.

4. LATHER: Generate lots of lather and bubbles. The lather picks up the oils and dirt that trap germs on your hands.

5. RINSE: Rinse hands thoroughly with fingertips pointed down.

6. DRY: Dry hands with a paper towel and turn off the tap with the paper towel before disposing into a garbage can.

2.     If you are ill, stay at home!

Most respiratory illnesses have a period of communicability of 3 days once the symptoms have started. The common cold virus can perpetuate for weeks when ill people continue to work and socialize and spread germs to others who then become ill and spread the germ to their family and friends, who in turn pass it on to others.  The circle of infection is repeated over and over.

3.     If you sneeze, blow your nose, or cough, do it right!

• A sneeze can travel at 167 kilometres per hour, covering a distance of 5 metres in one tenth of a second.
   

• Use a tissue to smother a cough or sneeze into and immediately wash your hands after disposing of the tissue.  The force of sneezing into a tissue will still allow viruses to pass through the tissue onto your hands.
   

• Tissues are for single use only - one sneeze, cough or nose blowing and throw it out.
   

• If that sneeze or cough is coming and you do not have a tissue readily available, turn your face into your shoulder.  This is a “guarded” sneeze and forces the germs into your sleeve or clothing and not out into the environment where other people are exposed. Germs on your clothing are not as great an issue since you already have the germ.
   

• Children pose a greater risk of spreading germs due to their poor personal hygiene habits.  Runny noses are wiped on the back of the hand or on a sleeve.  Sneezes and coughs are unguarded, spreading germs over a large area in the home, classroom and daycare.  Help children learn by setting a good example.