Basic Hygiene Guidelines for the Prevention Of Staphylococcal Infections
by Chris Sabotta
October 29, 2007
Putnam County CUSD #535
In light of the recent cases of “staph” infections in other school districts, we are attempting to keep our families educated on how to help protect themselves.
Basic Hygiene Guidelines for the Prevention
Of Staphylococcal Infections
HAND HYGIENE
The following is the correct technique for hand washing, including the importance of washing hands before eating or preparing food, after touching any skin lesions (“sores”) and wounds or clothing contaminated by drainage from lesions and wounds, and after using the toilet:
• Turn on faucet and wet hands with running water.
• Apply soap and spread across all surfaces of hands.
• Scrub all surfaces of hands, including between each finger, for at least 20 seconds (saying the alphabet slowly will take at least 20 seconds.)
• Rinse hands under running water.
• Dry hands with paper towels or air dryers.
• If available, use a paper towel to turn off faucet handles.
HYGIENE
General hygiene includes the following:
• Keep your hands clean by washing thoroughly with soap and water. Use an alcohol hand gel when soap and water are not available.
• Avoid sharing eating and drinking utensils.
• Avoid sharing unwashed towels, washcloths, clothing, or uniforms.
• Avoid sharing personal items (e.g., deodorant, razors).
• Change socks and underwear daily.
• Wash bed linens and pajamas regularly, at least once a week if feasible.
• Wash soiled bed linens and clothes with hot water and laundry detergent. Drying clothes in a hot dryer, rather than air-drying, also helps kill bacteria in clothes.
• Bathe or shower with soap each day.
• Bathe or shower with soap after every sports practice or competition.
• Keep cuts and abrasions clean and covered with clean, dry bandages until healed.
• Follow your health care provider’s instructions on proper care of wounds.
• Avoid contact with other people’s wounds or material contaminated by wounds.
HYGIENE FOR SPORTS PARTICIPANTS
In addition to the previously mentioned recommendations, sports participants should follow these guidelines as well:
• Do not share towels, clothing or uniforms.
• Do not store wet, dirty clothing in lockers.
• Avoid sharing water bottles.
• Avoid sharing personal equipment.
• Keep equipment clean. Follow coach’s directions about cleaning the equipment.
• Keep cuts, abrasions and wounds covered with clean, dry bandages. Persons with draining wounds or infections are not allowed to participate in practices or games unless the wound is covered and the bandage clean.
• Report any cuts, abrasions or wounds to the coach and school nurse.
GENERAL CLEANING STRATEGIES
• Clean environmental surfaces with an all-purpose cleaner and use the product in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Ensure that high-touch surfaces (e.g., doorknobs, light switches, faucet handles, and surfaces around toilets) are cleaned daily.
• Promptly clean body fluid contamination of surfaces using either a 1:10 dilution of bleach (1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water), or a germicidal product with specific label claims for HIV or hepatitis B virus.
