SARS Advice: Avoid Public Areas & People With Coughs

Australians passing through areas where SARS has been diagnosed should avoid public transport, shopping centres and 'stand well clear of people that are coughing,' according to advice posted on the Department of Health's website.

"If contact cannot be avoided, particularly with persons who are coughing, a simple surgical face-mask and regular hand washing will offer added protection," they recommend.

"Minimise the amount of time spent in shopping centres and public areas. Masks should be changed when they become moist." Danger areas named in the report include Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Vietnam and Canada, which travellers should avoid until further notice, they advise.

The warnings coincided with new immigration regulations introduced mandatory health checks for people arriving in Australia who display any symptoms, with quarantine arrangements being established for anyone who refuses to be treated.
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