Hi Ali,

Thank you for your links but I just wish to talk about one thing that you said about Children with MRSA and telling your child not to touch them.
MRSA is a germ that is passed on often to innocent and clean people usually via the health sysyem. I say usually because it is by far the most common place of being infected.
As someone who has had MRSA (courtesy of poor handwashing by medical staff) the feeling of being isolated and ostracised is very, very upsetting.
There is a general misinformed and unnecessary hysteria which often accompanies the wound swab..
Many, many of you will actually be harboring this bug under your nails etc without any illness coming from it. Mostly our immune systems will cope with these very common bacteria.
All of this would be prevented if only EVERYONE washed their hand thoroughly after play, after the toilet and before eating.
I believe it is a parents responsibility to teach correct hand washing technique and the expectation should be that schools etc will follow this up in their establishments.
Too often have I seen children forget to wash or the lack of correct handwashing equipment in schools.
The child with MRSA must have their wound properly sealed and then he should not present any issues to those who they play with as long as correct hygiene is carried out by those who play with them.
Isolation and segregation is not necessary or fair to the usually innocent vicitm of someone elses carelessness.
Of course once it has been established that there is a victim in the school then all efforts to thoroughly cleanse the equipment with an antibacterial is necessary and I applaud the fact that this seems to be what has happened but to be honest the most common infection passed on by non handwashing people is Gastroenteritis.
Cheers
Tayla