Volume 10, Number 8—August 2004
Dispatch
Print Media Response to SARS in New Zealand
Nick Wilson*
, George Thomson*, and Osman Mansoor†
, George Thomson*, and Osman Mansoor†
Table 2
Information on SARS transmission and control measures reported in the New Zealand Heralda
| Information on SARS | No. (%) of articles (N = 261) |
|---|---|
| SARS transmission | |
| Transmission by “droplets” or “sneezing” or “coughing” | 16 (6) |
| “Close contact,” “direct contact,” or “physical contact” with an infected person as a risk factor for transmission | 16 (6) |
| “Close contact” or “contacts” the definition used for outbreak control purposes | 13 (5) |
| Possible transmission through a contaminated “surface” or “object” or lift “button” or door “handle” | 13 (5) |
| “Person-to-person” transmission | 7 (3) |
| Possible risk posed by bodily “secretions” (or “faecal” contamination, “faeces” or “stool”) | 7 (3) |
| Possibility of “airborne” transmission | 5 (2) |
| “Casual contact” not being a risk factor for transmission | 2 (1) |
| No evidence for “airborne” transmission (or unlikely) | 2 (1) |
| Touching ones “eyes”, or “nose”, or “mouth” with potentially contaminated hands as a risk factor |
1 (0.4) |
| SARS control or personal protection | |
| “Quarantine” | 85 (33) |
| “Isolation” | 62 (24) |
| “Mask” | 60 (23) |
| “Hand washing” for prevention | 4 (2) |
| Advice to seek medical attention if relevant symptoms are present | 4 (2) |
| Lack of health insurance cover for travellers to affected areas |
2 (1) |
| Groups at increased risk of infection and or death | |
| Health workers (including nurses and doctors) | 24 (9) |
| “Elderly” (and other terms for older persons) | 7 (3) |
| Persons with diabetes or other chronic conditions. | 3 (1) |
aSARS, severe acute respiratory syndrome. Quotation marks refer to actual phrases used in newspaper articles.
Page created: June 14, 2011
Page updated: June 14, 2011
Page reviewed: June 14, 2011
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.