Re: [LM_NET] MRSA

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@IIMETRO.COM.AU>]

 I confess I had to search to find out what MRSA was because the thought of 
cleaning all the books
in a library is too daunting for words.

I found a lot about it on the New South Wales (Australia) Health Department website,
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/public-health/phb/HTML2003/june03html/factsheetp123.html
 , in
particular this section ...

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT THE SPREAD OF MRSA?
Wash your hands

Hand washing is the most important thing to do to prevent the spread of MRSA. Wash 
your hands:

before and after touching or dressing an infected area; 
after going to the toilet; 
after blowing your nose; 
before handling or eating food; 
before handling newborn babies; 
after touching or handling unwashed clothing or linen. 

How should I wash my hands?

Wash all parts of your hands well using soap and running water. Rinse well and dry 
your hands after
washing.

Cover boils or other skin infections [such as school sores/impetigo]

Cover boils or other skin infections with a watertight dressing during the daytime. 
A child with
impetigo (small blisters or flat, honey-coloured crusty sores on the skin, caused 
by either
Staphylococcus or Streptococcus bacteria) should not go to school or childcare 
until after  one full
day of treatment.

Don't share:  

soiled towels, clothes or bed sheets. If you share a bed with someone, keep sores 
or wounds dressed
overnight; 
grooming items such as nail scissors, tweezers, razors and toothbrushes. 
Wash towels, clothes, bed sheets and other items that might have pus or MRSA on 
them in a washing
machine. No special washing temperature is recommended. Dry clothing and linen in 
direct sunlight,
if possible, as sunlight kills bacteria. All eating utensils and dishes can be 
washed as normal.

In no way am I a health expert, and I'm not sure how long these bacteria can 
survive once exposed to
the open air, but perhaps there is a need for a hand-washing campaign in schools 
rather than
cleaning all the books because if you clean it and someone who is infected touches 
it two minutes
later, your work and time are wasted.
Barbara

Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

E. barbara@iimetro.com.au
"Together we learn from each other." 

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