SARS precautions planned for Arafura Games

Competitors in next month’s Arafura Games in Darwin will be asked to comply with special public health protocols to reduce any risk….

Competitors in next month’s Arafura Games in Darwin will be asked to comply with special public health protocols to reduce any risk….Competitors in next month’s Arafura Games in Darwin will be asked to comply with special public health protocols to reduce any risk from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).Health authorities are writing to all teams asking athletes from high-risk professions to consider withdrawing.All competitors and officials will be asked to have flu and measles vaccinations to prevent those symptoms being confused with SARS.Vicki Krause from the Northern Territory’s Centre for Disease Control says the SARS risk is minimal but she needs teams to cooperate.”[We are] making sure that the teams are agreeable to report on a daily basis about health status [and] an enhanced screening program coming into the country,” Ms Krause said.(Source: ABC Online; Thursday, April 17, 2003. 3:35pm (AEST))