Some Penn State community members suggested that students take precautions to avoid contracting a pneumonia-like illness that has raised global alarm in recent days.

The sickness, called severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), has caused Centre Community Hospital to put several precautionary measures in place, said Marlene Stetson, the hospital's infection control coordinator.

This type of SARS has never been encountered before, she said. It has both influenza and pneumonia-like symptoms, she added.

The disease has not yet been classified as bacterial or viral. Consequently, treating the sickness becomes more of a challenge, Stetson said.

One of the steps the hospital will take will be sending preventative notices to the emergency room, which would inform staff workers of different ways to handle infected patients, she said. Hospital staff would handle the sickness as if it were tuberculosis or chicken pox, Stetson added.

Because the sickness has caused global concern, the hospital will try and be more aware of this particular ailment.

"A heightened sense of awareness is where we need to be, right now," Stetson said.

Students should watch for several symptoms in guarding against this new type of SARS, said Bruce Jansen, clinical director of general medicine at University Health Services. Students should be aware of upper respiratory complications, especially fever, cough and shortness of breath, Jansen said.

There are no plans to alter daily operations at the University Park Airport because of the SARS, said Bob Dannaker, airport manager. Nobody returning to the airport from spring break has shown signs of the sickness, he said.

Dannaker also said there are no plans to prohibit people who exhibit symptoms from traveling out of the airport.

"Hopefully people with symptoms will make intelligent decisions regarding flying," he said.