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CNN Live Sunday
With Oncoming Flu Seaonson CDC Recommends Masks For Coughing Patients
Aired October 19, 2003 - 18:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, with flu season on the way, the cdc is planning to recommend that anyone with a cough coming in to a doctor's office or clinic wear a mask. The idea is to minimize the possibility of an outbreak of SARS. With us live is Dr. William Schaffner. He's the director of the Infection Control Program at Vanderbilt Medical Center and he joins us now from Nashville.
DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, VANDERBILT MEDICAL CENTER: Hi, Carol.
LIN: Hi there. Thank you for being here. What are the chances, first and foremost, that there is going to be a SARS outbreak here in the United States?
LIN: Who knows? It's a great mystery. We hope it doesn't come back but we need to be ready.
LIN: And being ready does that mean wearing a mask?
SCHAFFNER: Well, it looks that way. The CDC is recommending everyone who comes to an emergency room, who's coughing, be provided a mask. And that will help protect other people. It will help protect the doctors and nurses who take care of then.
LIN: Well, it sounds like an easy solution, but is it really?
SCHAFFNER: It will take a little work. We're starting to organize that get that done right here and Vanderbilt. It will take education, a little more money. I hope the mask manufacturers are making enough of them, and how to sort out all of those patients. It will take a bit of doing and different hospitals are going to have a somewhat easier time than others, but we're getting engaged.
LIN: I mean, has there been controversy? Have some hospitals been saying we don't think this is possible? It's going to be too expensive. It's going to be too tough?
SCHAFFNER: We've heard all of those things and, of course, there's an element of truth in all of them. And some hospitals may wait to do this until SARS is actually found somewhere. Others, and I think we're moving in this direction, are going to try to do this right on the front end as soon as the winter viruses start.
LIN: Would you expect resistance by the American public to this?
SCHAFFNER: I think, actually, the patients are going to be very, very cooperative. That's my general sense. And, incidentally, you mentioned influenza. It's a good idea to get your flu shot. There's plenty of flu vaccine. You can do it now.
LIN: I know. We've had a good segment on that, about people's fears of getting the shot. You get the shot, you get the flu. We understand that doesn't happen.
But the masks, do they really work when you have something as aggressive as a SARS virus? It's a virus, right?
SCHAFFNER: It is a virus. And this kind of mask actually offers a substantial amount of protection to people around you. So it also ought to limit the spread of flu and all of the other respiratory viruses. It's a pretty good idea.
LIN: But, you know, the fact of the matter is, a lot of Americans are vain and self-conscious in public. I don't know of many who willingly wear masks.
SCHAFFNER: Well, this is only if you come to the doctor's office with a cough, or when you go to the emergency room. And Carol, don't you think this is rather stylish?
LIN: Rather stylish. If it comes in different colors, I think I could take it in red. Thank you very much, Dr Schaffner. Let's hope it's a healthy season.
SCHAFFNER: Bye-bye.
LIN: Bye-bye.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Coughing Patients>
Aired October 19, 2003 - 18:24 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, with flu season on the way, the cdc is planning to recommend that anyone with a cough coming in to a doctor's office or clinic wear a mask. The idea is to minimize the possibility of an outbreak of SARS. With us live is Dr. William Schaffner. He's the director of the Infection Control Program at Vanderbilt Medical Center and he joins us now from Nashville.
DR. WILLIAM SCHAFFNER, VANDERBILT MEDICAL CENTER: Hi, Carol.
LIN: Hi there. Thank you for being here. What are the chances, first and foremost, that there is going to be a SARS outbreak here in the United States?
LIN: Who knows? It's a great mystery. We hope it doesn't come back but we need to be ready.
LIN: And being ready does that mean wearing a mask?
SCHAFFNER: Well, it looks that way. The CDC is recommending everyone who comes to an emergency room, who's coughing, be provided a mask. And that will help protect other people. It will help protect the doctors and nurses who take care of then.
LIN: Well, it sounds like an easy solution, but is it really?
SCHAFFNER: It will take a little work. We're starting to organize that get that done right here and Vanderbilt. It will take education, a little more money. I hope the mask manufacturers are making enough of them, and how to sort out all of those patients. It will take a bit of doing and different hospitals are going to have a somewhat easier time than others, but we're getting engaged.
LIN: I mean, has there been controversy? Have some hospitals been saying we don't think this is possible? It's going to be too expensive. It's going to be too tough?
SCHAFFNER: We've heard all of those things and, of course, there's an element of truth in all of them. And some hospitals may wait to do this until SARS is actually found somewhere. Others, and I think we're moving in this direction, are going to try to do this right on the front end as soon as the winter viruses start.
LIN: Would you expect resistance by the American public to this?
SCHAFFNER: I think, actually, the patients are going to be very, very cooperative. That's my general sense. And, incidentally, you mentioned influenza. It's a good idea to get your flu shot. There's plenty of flu vaccine. You can do it now.
LIN: I know. We've had a good segment on that, about people's fears of getting the shot. You get the shot, you get the flu. We understand that doesn't happen.
But the masks, do they really work when you have something as aggressive as a SARS virus? It's a virus, right?
SCHAFFNER: It is a virus. And this kind of mask actually offers a substantial amount of protection to people around you. So it also ought to limit the spread of flu and all of the other respiratory viruses. It's a pretty good idea.
LIN: But, you know, the fact of the matter is, a lot of Americans are vain and self-conscious in public. I don't know of many who willingly wear masks.
SCHAFFNER: Well, this is only if you come to the doctor's office with a cough, or when you go to the emergency room. And Carol, don't you think this is rather stylish?
LIN: Rather stylish. If it comes in different colors, I think I could take it in red. Thank you very much, Dr Schaffner. Let's hope it's a healthy season.
SCHAFFNER: Bye-bye.
LIN: Bye-bye.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Coughing Patients>
