Hi Parents,

Many of you have heard about the recent cases of MRSA, a staph infection, that have been diagnosed among a few PT high school students. We contacted the Health Department this morning to see if there were any precautions we needed to be taking at Swan School to prevent a case here. They assured us that our current practices of disinfecting surfaces daily, using liquid soap in our dispensers and using disposable paper towels are all excellent preventative measures. You can help at home by emphasizing the importance of having good personal hygiene, encouraging kids to wash their hands frequently, and try to help them keep their hands AWAY from their faces-- eyes and mouth especially.

As with any health concern, if you think your child shows any symptoms, please see your health care provider and inform the school right away if your child should be diagnosed with something contagious.

The Jefferson County Public Health Department has an excellent web site with all the information you could possibly want to know (and more, believe me...) at http://www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org/index.php?id=5,748,0,0,1,0

Below find some pertinent details:

What does a staph or MRSA infection look like?
Staph bacteria, including MRSA, can cause skin infections that may look like a pimple or boil and can be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. More serious infections may cause pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or surgical wound infections.

How can I prevent staph or MRSA skin infections?
Practice good hygiene:

• Wash hands using liquid soap and water upon entering and exiting the premises and before and after any hands-on contact with other persons. Alternatively, an alcohol-based hand rub can be used according to label instructions. Visibly soiled hands should be washed with soap and water rather than an alcohol-based hand rub;
• Dry hands with disposable paper towels or air blowers (e.g., avoid sharing towels);
• Keep skin lesions (e.g., boils, insect bites, open sores, or cuts) covered with a clean dry dressing;
• Limit sharing of personal items (e.g. towels, clothing, and soap);
• Use a barrier (e.g., a towel or a layer of clothing) between the skin and any shared equipment;
• Shower if there has been substantial skin-on-skin contact with another person.

Use of Disinfectants on Surfaces - Swan School does this daily!

• Check the product's label to ensure that the disinfectant is suitable for the type of surface being treated (e.g., vinyl, cloth, plastic, or wood);
• Check that the product label specifies Staphylococcus aureus (many over the counter disinfectant products sold in grocery stores, pharmacies, and warehouse stores will have a label claim for Staphylococcus aureus and other bacteria);
• Ensure that the disinfectant is prepared to the proper use concentration and that this working solution remains on the surface of the equipment for the recommended time.