Hygiene in schools - an important issue for the public health services

[tetano]

Gesundheitswesen. 2011 Nov;73(11):730-6. Epub 2011 Nov 23.
[Hygiene in schools - an important issue for the public health services].
[Article in German]
Heudorf U, Voigt K, Eikmann T, Exner M.
Abstract

According to the Protection against Infection Act (IfSG), schools have to identify their arrangements of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for hygienic conditions, and the public health departments are obliged to check the hygienic conditions in schools. Here, practical experience with these topics in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, is presented.Although all schools had been informed about their duties according to IfSG in 2001, only 44% (80/180 schools) of them were able to present their SOPs when requested to do so by the public health department in 2006. Complaints about bad sanitary hygiene in schools have to be confirmed, often even in recently redeveloped facilities, because of vandalism. The equipment of washing basins was improved very well during the influenza pandemic in 2009. In 2010, however, a tendency to deterioration had been observed. With data on high levels on indoor contamination (particles and CO2) in class rooms in 2006, the city increased the frequency of cleaning and launched a programme on proper ventilation in classrooms. However, a study on ventilation in 29 schools in 2009 resulted in very high levels of CO2; obviously the recommendation to ventilate the classrooms every break are neglected. Large studies on drinking water quality exhibited good data, with the exception of high Legionella contaminations in hot water systems supplying the showers in gymnasiums. Major redevelopment measures were necessary.Hygienic conditions in schools should be improved urgently. The public health departments should increase their consulting services as well as their control visits in schools - with the aim to improve hygiene in schools. Responsibility of the schools as well as of the individuals in the schools is demanded as well. More public attention to this topic seems mandatory, may be via a "signal light - red-yellow-green" for schools?

? Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart ? New York.

PMID:
22113381
[PubMed - in process]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22113381

 

[Amish Country]

Re: Hygiene in schools - an important issue for the public health services

MHO:
Governments can pass all the laws they want. I double dog dare them to prevent the passing of a flu virus in a room full of preschoolers or kindergarteners. Chances are good the toddlers will take it home to their families. If the kindergartener's buses are used to ferry older middle or high school students after the toddlers have been dropped off, chances are probably fair to middling that the older students could catch the virus without physically coming in direct contact with the infected toddler. It could also easily spread to families and school where is was not previously present.

During the novel Swine flu pandemic school bus drivers attempted to wipe down bus handrails, etc with what looked like diaper wipes to disenfect them. They did this after dropping the children off at one school and starting to pick them up for the next.