MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is killing people - lots of people - so sayeth the reports. With an overall incidence rate of 32 invasive infections per 100,000 people, deaths tied to such infections may exceed those caused by AIDS. Hospital workers are accustomed to dealing with such issues, but the superbug has made it past the traditional stomping grounds and into schools. How far off can offices and shopping malls be?
Whether you're working in close-packed cubicles, a daycare, or another environment, chances are you probably have contact with other people at some point in the day. MRSA can be carried by healthy people, living in their noses or on their skin. That's why the health experts are trying to calm people regarding the matter. With all the media coverage of school cancellations and mass disinfection attempts, it's easy to get scared out of your wits! There are actually some very basic ways of combating the superbug, and they fall right in line with what we should be doing to fight back during cold and flu season anyway.
Here are the basics on what you can do to try to prevent transmission of icky bugs - standard issue or "super sized":
- Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
- Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
- Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages.
- Avoid sharing personal items such as towels or razors.
(Staph infection tips courtesy of the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.)
Handwashing is a particularly difficult issue if you have, or care for, young children. Not only do adult caregivers have to practice excellent hygiene, the little ones do too. Getting them to wash their hands for long enough - now that is a task in itself. Try a product like SquidSoap, which puts a vegetable stamp on their hand when they push the pump to get soap. They have to wash for a certain amount of time in order to be "de-inked". Be sure to have enough cleaning supplies on hand as well; Lysol is helping out with this with coupons and a special rebate program.
May you all be safe and well this flu, cold, and MRSA season. (Now there's an addition I didn't ever expect to make!)
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