The campaign's front door is a newly constructed page on the CDC's website that looks well-stocked with fact sheets for parents and for health-care workers; lots of informative photos, most of them taken by physicians, of what a MRSA skin infection looks like; specific information about MRSA infections in schools and in sports; and a free-of-charge radio PSA.
Especially useful, for those who might need it, is a copy of the CDC's recommended "treatment algorithm" for suspected MRSA — a flowchart or decision-tree for choosing antibiotics when MRSA is suspected. The algorithm was the result of a number of meetings of experts convened by the CDC and represents the best advice on what to take when. It's a useful thing to consult if you suspect you may be dealing with MRSA and wonder whether you have been given the appropriate drug. All of these materials are downloadable and printable; open-access/no copyright because they are government-produced.
From the agency's press release (
The National MRSA Education Initiative is aimed at highlighting specific
actions parents can take to protect themselves and their families. CDC
estimates that Americans visit doctors more than 12 million times per
year for skin infections typical of those caused by staph bacteria. In
some areas of the country, more than half of the skin infections are
MRSA. ...
"Well-informed parents are a child's best defense against MRSA and other
skin infections," said Dr. Rachel Gorwitz, a pediatrician and medical
epidemiologist with CDC's Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion.
"Recognizing the signs and receiving treatment in the early stages of a
skin infection reduces the chances of the infection becoming severe or
spreading."
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