HIV? No Right To Know
State protects privacy of all.
Don't assume that you will know if
any of your students have the HIV virus. You probably won't.
Delaware law protects the confidentiality
of anyone who tests positive for the HIV virus. In other words, a parent or guardian
has the right to decide if their child's HIV status will or will not be disclosed.
Since you may not know if a child
is infected with HIV, DSEA strongly urges you to practice "universal precautions"
whenever the skin is broken, or when handling blood, with all children. These
are steps recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to be taken to reduce
risks of infection. See below.
Delaware's health policy strong on student education
Since 1987 Delaware has been serious
about HIV education. In 1990 the State Board of Education passed a new "K-12 Comprehensive
Health Education and Family Life Education Policy." The purpose is "to provide a
program that establishes a foundation for understanding the relationships between
personal behavior and health."
Another State Board policy requires
districts to educate their staff in "HIV infection, mode of transmission, care of
body fluids and good hand washing techniques."
If you find that your district is
not providing staff training, we urge you to contact your school nurse or district
health education coordinator.
If you're interested in more information
about how to integrate health education and family life curriculum into your classes,
contact Janet Arns, state health specialist and HIV coordinator at the Department
of Public Instruction in Dover at 739-4885.
|
|
Universal Precautions
|
|
|
Get in the habit
of washing your hands with soap and running
water at regular times during your work-day. Common infectious diseases (excluding
HIV infection and hepatitis B) may be contracted from dirt and waste encountered
in the workplace.
Avoid punctures with objects that
may contain the blood of other persons.
Handle blood and other body
fluids that may contain blood with gloves and wash hands thoroughly with soap and
running water when you are finished.
|
Carefully dispose of trash that contains body wastes and sharp
objects. Use special containers with plastic liners for disposal of refuse that
contains blood and any body spills that may contain blood. For disposal of sharp
objects, use containers that cannot be broken or penetrated. Do not bend, break or
recap needles.
Promptly remove all other
person's blood and body wastes from your skin by washing with soap and running water.
|
Clean surfaces
that have blood or body wastes containing blood on them with an EPA-approved disinfectant
or a 1:10 solution of household bleach and water. The solution should be fresh daily
to ensure proper strength.
And...
Know your school district's policy
regarding proper disposal of waste that is contaminated with body discharges.
Insist that all bathrooms
in schools have soap, paper towels and waste receptacles.
|