Mrsa Education Initiative For Children In Brooklyn Schools

In response to concerns raised over recent cases of staph infections in children, Lutheran HealthCare, N.Y.C. Councilman Domenic M. Recchia, Jr., Forest City Ratner Companies, the future Brooklyn Nets and N.Y.S. State Senator Martin J. Golden have partnered to provide alcohol-based hand sanitizers, hand washing tips, and MRSA education to Brooklyn schools.

Nearly 30,000 children and their families from 37 of Brooklyn’s public schools will be impacted through this initiative. With funding from Councilman Recchia, Forest City Ratner, the Nets, and Senator Golden, teachers in elementary and middle schools in the councilman’s and senator’s districts and schools in Lutheran’s School Health Program will receive 1,200 12 ounce bottles of hand sanitizer. MRSA facts, hand washing tips, and details on the initiative will be distributed to schools and parents in English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Urdu.

The announcement was made to a full school assembly at P.S. 101 on Thursday, November 8. In attendance were all the initiative partners, as well as Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and Albert King, Brooklyn born former Nets star. Norma Villanueva, M.D., chief of pediatric and adolescent health for Lutheran Family Health Centers, was on hand to demonstrate careful hand washing. Keeping our hands clean is one of the most important things we can do to avoid getting sick. Careful hand washing with soap and water is the recommended way to keep hands clean and free of bacteria. Hand sanitizers are an easy, helpful and fast way to cut down the spread of germs.

To use an Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer:
· Put a dime-sized amount of the sanitizer in your hand.
· Rub your hands together until they are dry. Cover all surfaces of both hands and around your nails.
Things to Know:
· Alcohol-based hand sanitizers greatly reduce the number of germs on skin.
· Adults should always help children use hand sanitizers.
· Try to keep from biting your nails and touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
· Alcohol can be absorbed through the skin.

For more information talk to your doctor, school nurse or visit the CDC online at www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools <http://www.cdc.gov/Features/MRSAinSchools>. If you don’t have a primary care physician and want to find one in your area please call 718-630-RXRX (7979).