SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME
(SARS)
University Strategy
• premise: SARS will persist
• balance
– public health
– academic objectives
• strategy
isolate
contain
treat
Identification
Symptoms:
• fever above 38ºC and
• muscle aches or breathing problems or dry cough
and:
• traveled to China, Hong Kong, Toronto (Canada),
Vietnam (“affected areas”) within 2 weeks of
onset of the symptoms; or
• close contact (cared for, lived with, or having had
direct contact with respiratory secretions and
body fluids) with persons diagnosed with SARS
Transmission
• Only infectious when there are symptoms, which
only appear after the incubation period of 3-10
days.
• Transmission through close contact with infected
persons, and droplets.
• Virus may survive for up to 3 hours on objects.
• Do take extra care with personal hygiene:
– wash hands frequently
– avoid coughing or sneezing on others
– ensure that your accommodation is well ventilated.
Precautions
• If you are unwell, especially if you have the SARS
symptoms, but have had no contact with any SARS
case and have not been to affected areas:
– do not come to campus
– immediately consult a doctor and notify the University
Health and Wellness Centre by telephone at 6874-2880
• If you do not have any symptoms, but have been in
contact with a SARS case or have been to the affected
areas, please stay at home for 10 days. If you remain
well, you are clear.
Reporting
If you have the symptoms and have been in contact
with a SARS case or been to the affected areas:
– immediately inform Ministry of Health (tel: 1800-225-
4122) and University Health and Wellness Centre
(tel: 6874-2880), and
– consult doctor
Travel and Leave
• students must apply to their Department for leave
to travel to affected areas between now and last
examination;
• student returning from the affected areas must
report by telephone to Department and University
residence (if they reside on campus), and self-
quarantine for 10 days;
• research scholars who leave Singapore on or after
April 1 : 10-day quarantine period will be counted
as vacation
Examinations
• continue as scheduled from Monday, April 21 to
Saturday, May 3
• students who are sick and those under officially-
mandated quarantine
– IC (incomplete) grade
– make-up examination within three weeks of the last
day of examinations
• if you are sick, please consult a doctor to
complete Form RO.0020/03
Exchange/Non-graduating
Students
• Convert module assessment to Satisfactory/
Unsatisfactory (S/U) grade based on continuous
assessment to date (without the final
examination), and leave for home; or
• Take examination at home institution, providing
that suitable arrangements can be made
Contribution
• disseminate SARS policies to other students
• encourage all to comply with the new policies
• support relatives and friends under quarantine
or treatment
• join in national effort to identify virus(es) and
develop diagnostics, treatment, and vaccine
Updates
Please refer to
http://app.moh.gov.sg/new/new01.asp
http://www.who.int/csr/sars/en/
http://www.nus.edu.sg/sars