My mother used to drive into me at every opportunity the saying "Neither a borrower nor a lender be". She was concerned about debt and the problems that debt can cause.
I am taking a new twist to this saying, that with MRSA it is very unwise to borrow or lend certain items to anyone else. In this article I am going to take some items we carry to the sports-field or the gym that someone may want to borrow from you. The answer to these is no. It is not worth the risk.
Item 1 Towel or flannel. In the UK we use a flannel or small cloth to put the shower gel or soap onto our bodies. It may be referred to by a different term in the US. The towel and flannel will have any MRSA from your body on it. If you share it then you share MRSA with the previous user. It is a simple as that. OK I am only talking about colonization but that is still part of the spread of this bacteria. If you have touched a cut with the towel or flannel then that could be infected material being passed and anyone who uses that towel or flannel with an open cut is highly likely to become infected with your MRSA. Don't share your bacteria. If you find that the blood on your towel has not washed off after washing it in a machine then wash it again at a higher temperature. Do not use it until you are rid of the mark.
Item 2 Razor. OK guys and girls listen up. Guys you want to look your best after the match to impress the girls but someone borrows your razor and cuts themselves, better not to use that razor. Better to throw away a disposable or get a new blade. Girls, you may want to make sure that the bikini line is clear and so you take a razor with you don't share it whatever you do and make sure you keep it clean (no hairs left inside)
Item 3 Sportswear seems obvious but coaches and team managers are not getting the message. If there are two games going on then you make sure there are two sets of kit so they both can be washed before being worn again. The same can be true of school and college where in order to get the right balance you have to lend your short or shorts so that the opposing team looks similar. It is better to take a spare shirt and shorts with you and lend those than to lend what you have already worn, even for a short time.
Item 4 Deodorant or perfume. What's wrong with that! It's always good to try out someone else's favorite. OK if it is a spray or aerosol. If it makes contact with the skin of the user you would be sharing the MRSA between each other. So any deodorant of the type where it makes contact with your skin must never be shared with someone else.
Do not share them. Do not even think about sharing them. Simply tell them MRSA, even if it means they have to put their outdoor clothes onto wet skin after they have taken a shower. At least 30% of people are colonized by MRSA so sharing can mean you become just another statistic.
The best way to avoid getting MRSA is education. There are simple things you should be doing, to stop yourself getting MRSA. Not sure what they are, then go to http://www.mrsainfectionsymptoms.com for more great tips
Source: www.articlecity.com