National Immunization Awareness Month reminds us to be ready

So, you’re one of those people who faithfully gets a flu shot every fall. Well done! When’s the last time you had a tetanus shot or booster? A-ha!

Don’t feel bad, most of us fall short when it comes to staying on top of our immunizations. That’s why, when National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) rolls around every August, it’s a great opportunity to sit down and see what we, or our family members, are missing — and then schedule a trip to the doctor to get those squared away.

NIAM is sponsored by the National Public Health Information Coalition, and they have a ton of great, downloadable info if you’re looking to put an awareness campaign together for your workplace, or anywhere else you think people need to be reminded about the importance of immunizations. The information (and it’s all free) incudes vaccine information, news releases and articles, social media messages and links to resources at the CDC and more.

While NIAM lasts for all of August, it can be broken down into weeks so that various at-risk groups can be targeted. Here’s how the coalition does it:

• Month of August: Ready for school?  Make sure those vaccine records are up to date!

• First Week: Babies and Young Children: A healthy start begins with on-time vaccinations.

• Second Week: Pregnant Women: Protect yourself and pass protection on to your baby.

• Third Week: Adults: Vaccines are not just for kids.

• Fourth Week: Preteens/Teens: Ensure a healthy future with vaccines.

Remember, immunizations aren’t just for kids at back-to-school time. We all need to be as proactive as possible so we can maintain our own health, as well as not pose a danger to vulnerable people around us who, for health or other reasons, can’t be vaccinated.

Antimicrobial scrubs: What’s the story?

Nurses, clinicians, doctors and other healthcare workers know all about germ transmission, and the steps to avoid it. They can’t help but be aware — they are surrounded by reminders to wash their hands with antimicrobial soaps and sanitizers dozens of times throughout the day as they come into contact with patients.

So, wouldn’t it be great if the scrubs and lab coats they wear pitched in and helped cut down on the spread of germs? It sure would, and that’s why when antimicrobial scrubs came on the scene a few years ago everyone got pretty excited.

The idea is fairly simple: Embed the cloth with various chemicals and/or substances (everything from proprietary chemical agents to silver and copper is used, and most every brand has its proprietary formula), and that agent will act as a barrier for germ transmission.

But — do they work? And are they worth it? If your area of the hospital is more prone to a MRSA outbreak, for example, would antimicrobial scrubs be a sound investment? Let’s look at what these scrubs are, what they’re supposed to do, and come to a conclusion or two:

There appears to be evidence that scrubs can carry bacteria, and some antimicrobial models were released in 2012 (and others may have been available before) to answer the problem. In 2014, The Association of periOperative Registered Nurses released a report saying that antimicrobial scrubs might “prevent bacteria and fungi from adhering to the fabric” and thus help protection patients.

The science about how these scrubs work is as varied as the companies producing them. There are different antimicrobial agents being embedded into the scrub material fiber by each manufacturer in order to differentiate their product, with some going after bacterial organisms and others targeting bacterial protein. Some are also fluid repellant, which is touted to add another layer of protection by keeping bacteria-laden material from soaking into scrubs in the first place, with the antibacterial agent acting as a second defense.

The jury is still out on whether or not they work effectively. Manufacturers can (and do) tout studies that show how these scrubs can prevent, or limit the spread, of MRSA, but the Antimicrobial Scrub and Transmission (ASCOT) study, a Duke University clinical trial that, among other things, evaluated whether antimicrobial-impregnated scrubs could help reduce bacterial contamination vs. regular cotton-poly scrubs, didn’t show a significant decrease in clothing contamination.

There are also other points to consider, such as price, because antimicrobials can be more expensive. Also, what’s your level of exposure? Anyone working in a hospital or clinical environment is going to come up against bacteria — that’s part of the job. But if you’re not around patients that much, or in a low-exposure area (primary care practice vs. ICU or ED), then you may not want to add in the extra layer of protection. In the end it’s up to you, but erring on the side of caution, especially when it comes to keeping patients, and yourself, safe from bacteria and infection, is never a bad idea.

Check out available Antimicrobial Scrubs here on our website! Happy Shopping!