Prevention

There is no vaccine for SARS to date and isolation and quarantine remain the most effective means to prevent the spread of SARS. Other preventative measures include:

• Handwashing
• Disinfection of surfaces for fomites
• Wearing a surgical mask
• Avoiding contact with bodily fluids
• Washing the personal items of someone with SARS in hot, soapy water (eating utensils, dishes, bedding, etc.)^[6]
• Keeping children with symptoms home from school

Treatment

Antibiotics are ineffective, as SARS is a viral disease. Treatment of SARS is largely supportive with antipyretics, supplemental oxygen and mechanical ventilation as needed.
People with SARS must be isolated, preferably in negative pressure rooms, with complete barrier nursing precautions taken for any necessary contact with these patients.
Some of the more serious damage caused by SARS may be due to the body's own immune system reacting in what is known as cytokine storm.^[7]
As of 2017, there is no cure or protective vaccine for SARS that has been shown to be both safe and effective in humans.^[8] The identification and development of novel vaccines and medicines to treat SARS is a priority for governments and public health agencies around the world. MassBiologics, a non-profit organization engaged in the discovery, development and manufacturing of biologic therapies, is cooperating with researchers at NIH and the CDC developed a monoclonal antibody therapy that demonstrated efficacy in animal models.^[9][10][11]