School Closes After Infestation

Students are out for the week at both locations of a New Orleans elementary school after a scabies infestation was discovered. According to Fox8 Live reports, the schools will undergo thorough cleanings while closed.

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School administrators said only one student and one teacher were diagnosed with confirmed cases. That was enough to close both campuses. While public health officials claim that scabies cases are common and are not cause to close a school, administrators felt it was needed to promote safety and cleanliness for all building occupants. School leaders are extending an upcoming fall break to clean and sanitize the buildings.

A person with scabies can spread the infestation by brief skin-to-skin contact or by exposure to bedding, clothing, or even furniture that he/she has used, according to information on the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention website.

Clothing worn or used next to the skin anytime during the three days before treatment should be machine washed and dried using the hot water and hot dryer cycles or be dry-cleaned. Items that cannot be dry-cleaned or laundered can be disinfected by storing them in a closed plastic bag for several days to a week.

Rooms used by a patient with scabies should be thoroughly cleaned and vacuumed after use. The CDC discourages disinfection using pesticide sprays or fogs, as they are generally unnecessary.