Prevention:

Reducing your contact with someone with SARS lowers the risk for the disease. Ways to do this may include limiting travel to locations where there is an uncontrolled outbreak. When possible, avoid direct contact with persons who have SARS for at least 10 days after their fever and other symptoms are gone.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says hand hygiene is the most important part of SARS prevention. This might include hand washing or cleaning hands with an alcohol-based instant hand sanitizer.

Persons should be taught to cover the mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing. Respiratory secretions should be considered infectious, which means no sharing of food, drink, or utensils. Commonly touched surfaces can be cleaned with an EPA approved disinfectant.

In some situations, appropriate masks and goggles may be useful for preventing spread of the disease. Gloves might be used in handling potentially infectious secretions.