Link: WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Is MRSA becoming more common?.
It seems every week brings a new report of an area student being treated for MRSA. While MRSA has been around for more than 40 years, only recently has it been cropping up in places like schools. But health experts are not sure if it is actually becoming more common.
"There is a very much increase awareness. Because we don’t keep counts, we don’t keep records, it’s not a reportable disease. We can’t say if there’s been an absolute increase or not. But certainly the public awareness has increased greatly," says Dr. Katherine Nichols, with the Lynchburg Health Department.
While awareness is good because it leads to prevention and treatment, Dr. Nichols says it should not spill over into panic. Nichols says children are no more at risk for MRSA in school as they are out. She says parents should not keep them home out of fear. Instead, her advice is use common sense, keep cuts clean and do not share personal items.
"And urge kids to tell their parents if they have anything that’s red, painful, oozing, so they can get medical attention right away. Good communication between the parents and the kids," says Nichols.
