"According to a recent study, Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) is responsible for 19,000 deaths per year. Surfaces also carry substantial germs and bacteria. MRSA can live on inanimate surfaces for over 50 days. No longer a problem confined to hospitals and nursing homes, community-acquired MRSA poses a real threat to the public health. Routine hard surface disinfection and good hand hygiene practices are ways to help stem the spread of this potentially deadly infection."
Source:
http://www.pdipdi.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mrsa.homeToday, the subject of MRSA came up while I was in a surgical case in a local hospital and it occurred to me how all athletes and the general student population are likely at an increased risk of coming in contact with this staff infection in our high schools.
During the past 6 months or so local hospitals have mounted alcohol hand sanitizers on the walls of entrances and common areas making it very easy for a person to walk by, without breaking stride, to get a dime sized amount of hand sanitizer and be on their way.
How many among us think such products should be available to our kids at critical points throughout their school in places such as entrances, around locker rooms, weight rooms, on the way into the cafeteria, in the bathrooms and just randomly placed throughout the school.
I have no idea what it would cost to put these products into a school, but in my mind introducing a product designed to reduce illnesses in a school can only have a positive impact.
If you'd like to know more about MRSA and how to help prevent it from showing up in your school please take a look at each of the following links.
Steris Cal-Stat is the product which is installed in two of Columbia's major hospital's so I assume it would be ideal for any school. I have no financial interest in any of the products mentioned in the following links:
Here's an article that's very good on the subject:
http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/361feat4.htmlSteris Cal-Stat Alcohol Hand Sanitizer:
http://www.steris.com/explore/view_product_page.cfm?productid=3628If you are concerned about MSRA, please take action and ask your school what they are doing to address this potentially deadly infection.
