MRSA INFECTION UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATIONS

On Saturday, October 1, we sent out an email message to alert NRR members to a possible health risk. It began:

Two of our youth rowers have been diagnosed with MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), an infection caused by a strain of staph bacteria that's become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections. 

The form they have, and the form that concerns us, is community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) which occurs in healthy individuals and is spread mostly by skin-to-skin contact, but also when people come in contact with surfaces or, in the case of athletes, shared equipment that is already contaminated with the MRSA bacteria. Rowers will sometimes get it if bacteria on oars gets into cuts or unhealed blisters on the hands or if skin is scraped by contaminated seat tracks or from one another.

We do not know if the two rowers with MSRA contracted it at NRR, but we want to do all we can to prevent anyone from getting infected in the future through contact with NRR equipment. 

On Sunday, October 2nd, we shut down the NRR site for several hours while we cleaned and disinfected all oars and other shared equipment. We also stocked up on items NRR members can use to protect themselves and one another from possible infection, including:

• Disinfectant wipes to use on oar handles. They are in the oar shed - look down and to the right of the entrance.
• Hand sanitizer for cleaning your hands before and after you row. You will find a large pump bottle of hand sanitizer as well as several boxes of individually wrapped hand sanitizing wipes on the work bench in the main shed.
• Band-Aids and other products to help you keep open cuts and blisters covered.  First Aid kits are also in the main shed.  They are located on the bottom shelf of the first set of shelves on your left. We will be adding more bandages to them over the coming days. If you prefer certain products that we do not have on hand, please bring them with you or apply at home.

Now it’s up to you: Some Things Each Of Us Can Do To Keep All Of Us Healthy

1. Learn about MRSA signs, symptoms and prevention at http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/index.html 
2. Follow the guidelines for athletes at http://www.cdc.gov/mrsa/groups/advice-for-athletes.html
3. Keep shared equipment clean and disinfected.  Wash oars and boats after every use. To disinfect handles, seat tracks, etc, use disinfectant wipes or wash with PineSol.  Lysol spray (in main shed) will kill bacteria in shoes.
4. Wash your hands. Use soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer. There will always be some in the shed. Clean your hands both before and after you row.
5. Cover cuts, scrapes and blisters with bandages to keep germs out.  Waterproof bandages and tape are recommended.
6. Shield your calves from track bite by cutting the feet out of an old pair of socks and pulling what’s left up over your calf. 
7. Bring socks for your feet and put them on once you are in the boat (before you put your feet in the shoes).
8. Take showers. Shower immediately after exercise.
9. Don't share items that touch your bare skin — such as bar soap, razors or towels.
10. Wash your rowing clothes. And dry them completely in a dryer. Do this after each use.