A Public Education and Disease Control Plan for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
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Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
SARS is a viral respiratory infection caused by a coronavirus. The first infection case was in 2003. It started in Asia, and within a short span, the disease spread faster in various nations including, Europe, North America, Asia, and South America (WHO, 2021). Based on the percentage, a total number of 8,098 individuals contracted the disease across the globe, and 774 patients lost their lives (WHO, 2021). The United States reported only eight cases of SARS infections that involved folks who had traveled to other parts of the world where the disease was rapidly spreading.
Historical Outbreaks of SARS and its Management in the United States
There have not been any historical outbreak of SARS, and the 2003 outbreak was the first case reported. The United States, through CDC, posted 82 staff members comprising of 52 epidemiologists in various countries (WHO, 2021). The team had a common goal of finding an urgent solution; they worked together towards the common goal and set aside professional rivalries and national loyalties (UCS, 2013). As a result, there was a quick scientific understanding of the infection, saving many lives. Effective collaboration between the U.S government, scientists, and health care workers led to successful control of the disease.
The Goal and Objectives of Education Plan
My goal was to create awareness about respiratory infections, in particular SARS. My education plan stipulates how individuals contract the infection, signs and symptoms, control measures, and treatment. The program's target population is every age group of people interacting in various places such as schools, workplaces, transport systems, to mention a few. After three months, 80% of my target population will have complete knowledge about SARS and precautions to avoid the disease's outbreak.
Initiatives Taken by CDC to Mitigate Impacts of SARS
The United States prevented individual deaths from the disease by providing precise and effective communication among the public, scientists, and decision-making bodies. Updated information was provided to the public by state officials and scientists without an unnecessary scare. The CDC was honest about what it knew and did not know and provided various platforms to rely on information to the public. It created the SARS website that received more than 17 million hits during the pandemic period (UCS, 2013). It also held live briefings, issued press releases, answered several phone inquiries from the public and the media. CDC quarantine officials provided higher alert fliers to people who entered the United States from SARS-stricken regions. All these measures ensured relevant inf...