The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided schools and parents with a concise summary of guidelines on how to prevent the spread of drug-resistant staph infections that have caused concern nationwide.
In the guidelines, federal health officials recommend frequent handwashing to prevent the spread of the bacterium called methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. Students should not share personal items that come into contact with bare skin, such as towels or razors, and should disinfect open wounds immediately and cover them with clean, dry bandages, the Atlanta-based CDC recommends.
The guidelines, released Oct. 19, also say that schools need not be closed for disinfection because of a local MRSA case, as long as other recommended precautions are taken.
“In most cases, it is not necessary to close schools because of an MRSA infection in a student,” the guidelines say. “It is important to note that MRSA transmission can be prevented by simple measures such as hand hygiene and covering infections.”
A report from the CDC earlier this month, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, estimated that MRSA is linked to more U.S. deaths each year than the virus that causes AIDS. The news made headlines nationwide....
This from Education Week. (subscription)
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