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I've heard that SARS can live for five days on fomites (things it lands on by a patient touching it or couging near it). This is a nasty statistic as far as contagious spread is concerned if it is true. It is this information which concerns me that protective gear may not be enough.

Patients rooms and equipment are decontaminated THOROUGHLY once an infected patient leaves the room, or WHENEVER NECESSARY. Personnel double glove, double gown, goggles, wear proper respirator mask (not the flimsy ones you see in the pics. from China, Canada, Taiwan that do not filter out microorganisms) whenever they enter the room, and leave all contaminated material in the room in a biohazard container. Before the contaminated material leaves the room, it is double-bagged and placed in a heavy duty red bio-hazard bag. All clean bags are left out side the patient room until in an isolation cart until used so it is not contaminated. Once it leaves the room, it is promptly disposed.

The research I have indicates that the virus can live outside its host for 24 hours on tables, equipment, etc.

I just read in a NEJM article on flutters' SARS article thread that SARS patients are contagious during the incubation period, before symptoms.

Did you see that? I'm thunderstruck. I can get the link if you want to see it...