TT: Do you want to say anything to encourage health workers afflicted by SARS because they have tended to SARS patients?
Chang: We only have one doctor infected with SARS. Actually, his mood is calm now. After his infection, we had a talk to try and find out what went wrong. It was an exceptional case.
The doctor was very responsible. He entered the isolation ward to help with the patient's intubation procedures. The position he took was very dangerous.
Besides, he stayed in the ward for too long. He was in the ward for nearly an hour. Moreover, he did not wear his facemask properly.
Fortunately, under our care, he did not suffer breathing failures. He didn't need intubation, either, and recovered very soon.
TT: In some Vietnamese hospitals, a lot of health workers came down with SARS; whereas in other hospitals very few health workers have been infected. Why is that so?
Nguyen: We may look at our two hospitals [HFH and the Institution of Tropical and Infectious Diseases (ITID)]. In HFH, a lot of health workers suffered from SARS. In ITID, the situation was not so. There are several explanations [for the difference].
The index patient we received was the first SARS case in the world. At that moment, we didn't know and nobody had any idea that the patient carried such viruses. Even the WHO had not yet recommended how to deal with the situation. That's why our health workers had direct contact with the patient every day.
Our health workers were exposed to the viruses without the proper protection that [health workers] have nowadays. That's why we have many hospital staff suffering from SARS.
ITID received SARS patients at a later stage, when everything [about] SARS had become clearer. They [ITID's health workers] knew how to protect themselves. That's why they have fewer hospital staff infected with SARS. Nevertheless, it is unnecessary to panic, because it is possible to prevent SARS.
Another explanation is concerning the generation of the virus. We know that when one patient infected the other patient, the virus transmitted from the first patient to the second moves from its first generation to the second.
The toxic level of the virus consequently decreased, and the risk of being infected by the virus is also reduced.
TT: What are the major problems in determining whether a parent is infected with SARS?
Nguyen: All SARS patients must be hospitalized and isolated to protect themselves as well as other people. It is not very good for a family. If parents must stay in the hospital, then someone should take care of their children.
TT: What medications are the best for SARS patients?
Nguyen: SARS is caused by a virus. So far we have no specific medication to deal with the virus. Supportive care is very important. What's more important is to know to how to prevent the disease.
RSS