Conclusion

One of the most important lessons learned to date is the decisive power of high-level political commitment to contain an outbreak even when sophisticated control tools are lacking. SARS has been brought close to defeat by the diligent and unrelenting application – on a monumental scale – of centuries-old control measures: isolation, contact tracing and follow-up, quarantine, and travel restrictions. Other successful measures include the designation of SARS-dedicated hospitals to minimize the risk of spread to other hospitals, mass media