| The global epidemic severity of SARS contributed to a need for implementation of public health control and prevention mechanisms in 2003. Though these measures were ultimately successful in bringing the epidemic to a halt, a re-emergence could bring new and possibly greater challenges.; Outbreak investigations of emerging diseases from the past may be an important resource for understanding newly emerging diseases of the future, such as SARS. This epidemiological review examines a parallel comparison of SARS and HPS in order to formulate important conclusions for applying the previous experience of HPS public health responses to future SARS outbreaks. Suggested recommendations include integration of modern technology, strict biosafety guidelines, prioritizing education to health professionals, implementing strict travel guidelines, risk reduction, education of quarantine laws, creating guidelines for virus eradication, implementing occupational guidelines, and initiating public health education.; These future recommendations suggested for SARS, formulated from the HPS parallel comparison, may be a means to produce more beneficial outbreak outcomes if SARS recurs in the future. Furthermore, though every communicable disease is unique, this comparative approach may be useful in tailoring responses to other such emerging diseases in the future. |
