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Scared to touch the remote control on that flight to Singapore? Wondering if the air out there is really safe to breathe? SARS has been taking the world by storm, stimulating not only the fears but also the curiosity and confusion of the entire world.

Here in Sri Lanka, we have been lucky enough not to be bombarded by the latest outbreak... yet.

However, people still commute to and from Sri Lanka, worse much of the public are not aware of the nature of SARS or of some simple yet effective precautionary measures that can be observed to better protect oneself from the deadly virus, that is until now. 3M Lanka decided to make an effort to sum up some facts about the new "deadly virus", that can be useful to protect the traveller and the non-traveller alike...

What is SARS? SARS stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The leading hypothesis is that the SARS virus belongs to the coronavirus, which is generally not harmful to humans.

However, the time magazine recently reported that the SARS virus is a mutated form the coronavirus, which is what makes it fatal. The reasons for the mutation are not yet known, but are being investigated worldwide.

How is SARS contracted? As of today the coronavirus is not believed to be airborne, meaning it can't float like a mushroom spore. Instead it can be passed only by direct contact with an infected person or with an object they have touched.

What are the symptoms of SARS? The first symptoms are a very high fever, which creates what the Time magazine quoted as an "inflammatory storm" as the body's immune system fights off the virus. This results in the lung tissue swelling up to cause respiratory problems, which in the fatal stages causes the patient to suffocate.

What steps can I take to protect myself? Frequent washing of hands and close attention to personal hygiene is crucial and has been recommended by the Centre for Disease Control (CDC). Sharing cutlery, drinking cups, glasses or mugs and towels is strongly discouraged by the CDC. If SARS is not confirmed to be airborne is the use of respirators encouraged?

While one function of respirators is to keep airborne viruses away from the user, another is to protect the user against bodily fluids that can carry viruses, which would otherwise enter the body through the mouth or the nose. At the present time the WHO and the CDC have officially made respiratory recommendations to healthcare workers.

The choice at this time for anyone else to use a respirator during a flight or any other time however is an added precautionary measure.

Are there any respirators that have been recommended for use against SARS? WHO and CDC have recommended National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) - certified N95 respirators for health-care workers. NIOSH R95, P95, R99, P99, N100, P100 all offer the same or higher filter efficiency. The Time magazine listed 3M's N95 mask as the most efficient mask to be used to combat SARS.

Where can I get the N95 mask? The N95 masks can be gotten from leading pharmacies, and 3M Lanka is also attempting to make them available for purchase at a counter in the Katunayake International Airport.

Would any other surgical mask or any other type of mask be as useful?Paper, gauze and cotton mask are not at all effective as none of them gives protection against fluids or particles that can still enter the body through the nose and the mouth. While surgical masks do offer protection, this can be compromised if they don't fit properly as particles can enter the nasal passage from around the mask due to gaps around the nose because of a bad fit. How do I clean and maintain a disposable respirator? Disposable respirators should never be cleaned.

They must be disposed of immediately after use every time.

How will I know when to dispose my respirator? Disposable respirators should be disposed of when they become dirty, damaged or soiled with blood or any other body fluid.

Respirators used in close contact with a known or suspected SARS patient must be disposed of immediately after use. During travel, respirators should be disposed of immediately when one enters a SARS free zone. How do I dispose my respirator? The CDC recommended that contaminated disposable respirators be handled and transported in a responsible manner so as to reduce any and all risks of any sort of contamination.

What else can I do to reduce the risk of any further contamination? One's own health must be monitored closely as well, especially after travelling to SARS countries such as China, Singapore and Hong Kong. Such monitoring should be done for ten days after travel.

If signs of a temperature becomes evident it should be monitored and checked to see if it rises above 100 degrees and also if a cough follows. If these symptoms arise the individual is advised to go immediately to hospital.

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