Skip to content
Home >> Useful Information >> Letters to Doctors

Useful Information

Be Vigilant and Prepared for SARS

28 October 2003

Dear Doctor,

There has not been any new case of SARS reported in Hong Kong since June 2003 but we have to prepare on the assumption that this will return. The SARS Expert Committee said that the most important lesson from the SARS experience is the need to be prepared. The Government has developed a comprehensive strategy to combat SARS (see the "Checklist of Measures to Combat SARS" which is available at http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200309/22/checklist-e.pdf .) and we will only win if the Government and all sectors of the community, including you, remain vigilant and get prepared for the possible return of SARS.

The private sector has an especially important role to play to protect the community from SARS. I would like to draw your attention particularly to the following areas:

  • to take appropriate infection control measures;
  • to assess the requirement for Personal Protective Equipment and to maintain adequate stock;
  • to educate patients about SARS and its prevention;
  • to refer promptly patients suspected of having SARS to hospital for further investigation and management; and
  • to notify the Department of Health of suspected SARS patients.

For better infection control in clinics, important things to observe include the followings:

Environment control

  • to avoid overcrowding in the patient waiting areas by scheduling patient appointment and reminding patients to adhere to it;
  • to provide adequate ventilation to the clinic;
  • to clean and disinfect the environment at least once daily or more frequently as indicated (for places such as patient lavatories);
  • to clean and disinfect equipment used in patient care; and
  • to maintain proper disposal of clinical wastes.

Precaution for health care workers

  • to exclude sick staff from duties and to remind them to obtain medical advice as necessary;
  • to wash hands after each patient contact, change of gloves/masks, gown/white coat/uniform; and
  • to wear personal protective equipment as appropriate for the setting, e.g., surgical/N95 masks, goggles, face shields, gowns, caps, gloves for high-risk procedures such as suctioning.

Precaution for patients

  • to request patients and accompanying persons to inform staff when they have fever and arrange medical assessment accordingly; and
  • to request patients and accompanying persons to wear surgical masks if they have symptoms of respiratory tract infection.

The Department of Health SARS website contains a wealth of information for healthcare professionals at http://www.chp.gov.hk/en/guideline_infection/346.html . The World Health Organization SARS website at http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/index.html is another useful resource.

To further foster partnership between the public and private sectors, the Department of Health organized a "Forum on SARS" on 16 October 2003. At the Forum, representatives from Department of Health, Hospital Authority, private hospitals, Hong Kong Medical Association, Hong Kong Doctors Union, and Practising Estate Doctors' Association discussed and shared views on enhancing collaboration in the prevention and control of SARS, and on infection control in hospital and clinic settings. Presentations and discussions during the Forum were videotaped and are being reproduced in VCD. A complimentary copy of the VCD will be distributed to you for information when it becomes available.


11 Jan 2013