L-R: Dr. Bill Lee (President, RMCSSE), Cecilia Teng, Dr. Paul Cheng, Dr. Ned Calonge and Dr. David Kohn.

"How do you distinguish between SARS and flu?"

"How do people recover from SARS?"

"Are masks necessary when traveling to mainland China in a plane?"

"What should I do, What should I eat to prevent getting infected from this disease?"

These were some of the questions asked during a town meeting on SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), the deadly disease, which originated in Guandong, Southern China early this year and has now spread to Hong Kong, Singapore and Toronto, Canada.

To answer such questions and many more, the Chinese American Council of Colorado (CACC) co-hosted with the Rocky Mountain Chinese Society of Science and Engineering (RMCSSE) a town meeting, which was held at the CACC offices in Denver, Colorado on April 26, 2003. They invited Dr. Ned Calonge Chief Medical Officer, Colorado Department of Public Health and Dr. David Cohn, Director of Infectious Disease, Colorado Department of Public Health.

Dr. Paul Cheng, CACC President, welcomed the attendees and introduced the two doctors and Cecilia Teng, Chair, Medical Section of RMCSSE, served as interpreter.

Dr. Calonge opened the session with a brief history of SARS, what it is, what the symptoms are and what the U.S. and specifically, Colorado has been doing to inform the people about this disease. He said that there are some misinformation going around making people fearful and the impact on their lives. Dr. Cohn answered questions from the audience.

Frequently Asked Questions about SARS

What is SARS? Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is an illness caused by a new virus that has recently been reported in 16 countries throughout Asia, the Americas and Europe. There is currently no treatment or vaccine for SARS. To date, there are over 200 suspected cases in the U.S. The majority of ill people caught the disease outside the US in areas where has been community transmission of SARS in the following four regions: Mainland China and Hong Kong, Hanoi, Vietnam and Singapore.

What are the symptoms of SARS? The illness begins with a fever. People may also have chills, headaches, ageneral feeling of discomfort, body aches, cough and/or difficulty breathing. These symptoms are similar to many other illnesses. About 5.9 of people who get the disease die.

Do masks over the mouth help against SARS? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend the routine use of masks while in public areas. If you have to be in close proximity to an infected person, a doctor will advise you on what type of mask to wear.

How can I keep from getting it? Since SARS is an infectious disease, traditional methods of avoiding such illnesses are advised – careful and frequent washing of hands with soap and water. Avoid contact with large numbers of people. Delay travel to places where SARS has spread.

What should I do if I think I may have SARS? Contact your health care provider. Explaine any recent travel to regions where SARS has been reported and whether you were inclose contact with someone who had these symptoms.

Can you get SARS by traveling by plane? Most cases of SARS are found among people who have had direct contact with an infected person, such as a family member or a health care worker who treated an ill person.