Yeah!
Mr. Romantic or Mr. Gallant Gentleman, before you bow to kiss her hand, lips or down-under, please, read the following warning before it is too late to cry:

29 Oct 2007 13:05 Africa/Lagos


Cleaning Hands, Saving Lives: The Spread of Staph Can Be Stopped

NEA, CDC, SDA Urge Proper, Effective In-School Hygiene and Cleaning to Protect Public Health

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Many news stories have reported on cases of students being diagnosed with a virulent staph infection known as methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus -- MRSA for short. Now a diverse group of organizations are elevating nationwide awareness of the steps that communities can take to combat the spread of staph infections.


The National Education Association (NEA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) are speaking out on the importance of proper and effective personal hygiene and surface cleaning practices.


"Covering infections will greatly reduce the risks of surfaces becoming contaminated with staph, including MRSA," said Rachel Gorwitz, medical epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Very simply put, common sense cleaning, disinfecting and hand hygiene saves people's lives," said Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education.

According to the CDC, good hygiene is critical in preventing the spread of staph, including MRSA: (1)


-- Cover your wound. Keep wounds that are draining or have pus covered
with clean, dry bandages until healed. Follow your healthcare
provider's instructions on proper care of the wound. Pus from
infected wounds can contain staph, including MRSA, so keeping the
infection covered will help prevent the spread to others. Bandages
and tape can be discarded with the regular trash.

-- Clean your hands frequently. You, your family, and others in close
contact should wash their hands frequently with soap and water or use
an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after changing the bandage
or touching the infected wound.

-- Do not share personal items. Avoid sharing personal items, such as
towels, washcloths, razors, clothing, or uniforms that may have had
contact with the infected wound or bandage. Wash sheets, towels, and
clothes that become soiled with water and laundry detergent. Use a
dryer to dry clothes completely.


And when you are around someone who has a staph infection, there are additional steps that can be taken to avoid spreading the infection to family and friends, including: (2)


-- Avoid coming into direct contact with another person's infected skin.

-- Clean surfaces daily with an EPA-registered disinfectant according to
the manufacturer's directions, or

-- Use a solution of one tablespoon of bleach mixed in one quart of
water to disinfect all non-disposable items and surfaces that may
have come in contact with the infected area, wound drainage, or
soiled supplies.

-- Wash utensils and dishes in the usual manner, with dish detergent
and hot water or in a dishwasher.


For more information, visit CDC's online MRSA information website, at www.cdc.gov/MRSA. SDA has extensive online information on proper hand hygiene and surface cleaning practices at www.cleaning101.com.


The Soap and Detergent Association (www.cleaning101.com), the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Product and Oleochemical IndustriesSM, is the non-profit trade association representing manufacturers of household, industrial, and institutional cleaning products, their ingredients and finished packaging; oleochemical producers; and chemical distributors to the cleaning product industry. SDA members produce more than 90 percent of the cleaning products marketed in the U.S. The SDA is located at 1500 K Street, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20005.


(1) CDC, Community-Associated MRSA Information for the Public, http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca_public.html#8


(2) "How to keep family safe from your staph infection," Feb. 2006, RNWeb.com, http://www.rnweb.com/rnweb/data/articlestandard/rnweb/052006/302303/article.pd f; "Guidelines for Reducing the Spread of Staph/CA-MRSA in Non-Healthcare Settings," Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Dec. 2004, http://lapublichealth.org/acd/docs/MRSA/MRSA_Guideline_12_20_04.pdf.


Source: The Soap and Detergent Association

CONTACT: Brian Sansoni of The Soap and Detergent Association,
+1-202-662-2517, +1-202-680-9327, bsansoni@cleaning101.com


Web Site: http://www.cdc.gov/MRSA
http://www.cleaning101.com/