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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
is a disease that is spreading throughout
the world, though there are particular
hot spots. The information on this disease
is changing weekly, if not daily.
Directors are advised to maintain regular
contact with the Centers
for Disease Control Web site. The home
page of this site provides numerous links
concerning SARS, including frequently asked
questions.
Will this affect camps this summer? It
could. You ought to consider:
- International staff traveling directly
to camp from and through other countries
- International campers traveling directly
to camp from and through other countries
- American campers or staff traveling
directly to camp from and through other
countries
ACA's contact with the Association of
Camp Nurses and the international placement
agencies has gleaned the following considerations
and recommendations:
- Maintain frequent contact with Centers
for Disease Control Web Site.
- Augment your health screening process
by asking everyone for a travel history
outside the US during the past month.
Be particularly vigilant regarding countries
identified as "hot zones" by
the CDC.
- There are very few international placement
organizations recruiting in those countries
but care should be taken. Along with
ACA the agencies are carefully watching
the alerts, monitoring CDC Web site and
establishing policies for orientation.
If additional information or concern
is merited, they will work with ACA to
notify you.
- Be in contact with campers or staff
coming from countries designated as "hot
zones" on the CDC or World
Health Organization to express your
concern and encourage their cooperation
with health officials in their country
by identifying any contact with persons
known to have contracted SARS. Note that
at this time (June 2003) neither the
CDC nor the WHO recommend quarantine
of persons arriving from areas with SARS.
- The airlines may issue cards to passengers
with information about symptoms of SARS
and what to do if those symptoms occur
in ten days after arrival in the US.
Some airlines traveling through countries
where there is risk will ask passengers
to wear masks while on the plane and/or
during a transfer. Upon arrival in the
US, international passengers with passports
indicating they are from or have visited
the countries with travel alerts or advisories
are being sent through a special health
screening before proceeding through customs.
- Provide your health care staff with
the case definition of SARS (it is on
the CDC Web site). Make it protocol to
check an individual's temperature if
he or she identifies any of the symptoms
of SARS.
- Make contact with your State Health
Department and follow the recommendations
of the Epidemiologist.
Additional information will be posted
on ACA's Web site as it becomes available.
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