A recent outbreak of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has made proper hand washing and personal hygiene a priority for parents, teachers and medical professionals alike. NSF International today announced a resource that can help children fight against MRSA – www.scrubclub.org.
MRSA is known to cause "staph" infections that are resistant to treatment with common antibiotics. These dangerous bacteria are transmitted mainly through human hands. If a person doesn't wash with soap and water, the bacteria can spread.
The Scrub Club website was developed by NSF International, a non-profit organization committed to public health and safety, to provide a fun way for kids to learn proper hand washing techniques to fight harmful infections such as MRSA. The Scrub Club "soaper-heroes" teach kids the six steps to proper hand washing:
• “Hot Shot" and "Chill" combine to make the warm water essential for proper hand washing;
• "Squeaks" turns into various forms of soap;
• "Taki" becomes a clock that counts down the required 20 seconds for proper handwashing;
• "Scruff" reminds kids to clean around their nails;
• "Tank" turns into a sink to rinse away the germs; and
• "P.T." transforms into paper towels.
“By teaching children the importance of proper hand washing with the help of the Scrub Club, we can make a difference in preventing the spread of MRSA and other serious infections,” said NSF International Vice President William Fisher.
The Scrub Club includes Webisodes, interactive games, music, downloadable activities for kids, educational materials for teachers and program information for parents. For more information about the Scrub Club please contact William Fisher at 734.827.6824 or fisher@nsf.org.
