Skip to main content
Logo for WebMD
Logo for WebMD
  • Coronavirus Update
  • Check Your Symptoms
  • Find A Doctor
  • Find A Dentist
  • Connect to Care
  • Find Lowest Drug Prices
  • Health
    A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Health A-Z
    Common Conditions
    • ADD/ADHD
    • Allergies
    • Arthritis
    • Cancer
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Eye Health
    • Heart Disease
    • Lung Disease
    • Orthopedics
    • Pain Management
    • Sexual Conditions
    • Skin Problems
    • Sleep Disorders
    • View All
    Resources
    • Symptom Checker
    • WebMD Blogs
    • Podcasts
    • Newsletters
    • Questions & Answers
    • Insurance Guide
    • Find a Doctor
    • Children's Conditions A-Z
    • Surgeries and Procedures A-Z
    • Featured Topics
    • woman experiencing chest discomfort Symptom Checker COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • photo of migraine Slideshow Get Help for Migraine Relief
  • Drugs &
    Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Drugs & Supplements
    Find & Review
    • Drugs
    • Supplements
    Drug Basics & Safety
    • Commonly Abused Drugs
    • Taking Meds When Pregnant
    Tools
    • Manage Your Medications
    • Pill Identifier
    • Check for Interactions
    • Drug Comparison Tool
    • Featured Topics
    • assorted vitamins Slideshow Vitamins You Need as You Age
    • berry and yogurt on spoon Slideshow Supplements for Better Digestion
  • Living
    Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Living Healthy
    Diet, Food & Fitness
    • Diet & Weight Management
    • Weight Loss & Obesity
    • Food & Recipes
    • Fitness & Exercise
    Beauty & Balance
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Health & Balance
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Oral Care
    Living Well
    • Women's Health
    • Men's Health
    • Aging Well
    • Healthy Sleep
    • Healthy Teens
    • Featured Topics
    • grocery cart Article Smart Grocery Shopping When You Have Diabetes
    • walking sneakers Quiz Do You Know the Benefits of Walking?
  • Family &
    Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    Family & Pregnancy
    All About Pregnancy
    • Getting Pregnant
    • First Trimester
    • Second Trimester
    • Third Trimester
    • View All
    Parenting Guide
    • Newborn & Baby
    • Children's Health
    • Children's Vaccines
    • Raising Fit Kids
    • View All
    Pet Care Essentials
    • Healthy Cats
    • Healthy Dogs
    • View All
    • Featured Topics
    • apple slices and peanut butter Slideshow Smart Snacks When You're Pregnant
    • photo of dogs kissing Slideshow Surprising Things You Didn't Know About Dogs and Cats
  • News &
    Experts
    News & Experts
    News & Experts
    Health News
    • Coronavirus News & Updates
    • COVID-19 Vaccines -- Latest Updates Here
    • COVID-19: Check Your Symptoms Now
    • Coronavirus in Context: Interviews With Experts
    • Social Distancing, Quarantine Explained
    Experts & Community
    • WebMD Blogs
    • News Center
    • Featured Topics
    • photo of coronavirus cell WebMD News Get the Latest COVID-19 News Here
    • photo of person typing Newsletters Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter
  • Mobile Apps
  • Subscriptions
  • Sign In
  • Subscribe
  • My Profile
    • My Tools
    • My WebMD Pages
    • My Account
    • Sign Out

    MRSA Home

    • Medical Reference
    • Features
    • Video
    • Slideshows & Images
    • Quizzes
    • News Archive

    Skin Topics

    • Acne
    • Bedbugs
    • Cold Sores
    • Eczema
    • Fungal Infections
    • Hair Loss
    • Healthy Beauty
    • Lice
    • Psoriasis
    • Psoriatic Arthritis
    • Poison Ivy
    • Rosacea
    • Shingles
    • Skin Cancer
    • More Related Topics

    Skin Problems & Treatments Guide

    • Skin Discolorations
    • Chronic Skin Conditions
    • Acute Skin Problems
    • Skin Infections

    Skin Conditions Resources

    • News
    • Medical Reference
    • Slideshows
    • Quizzes
    • Questions & Answers
    • Find a Dermatologist
    • Skin Problems and Treatments
    • Videos

    Psoriasis Care During COVID-19

    CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden on MRSA

    Video Transcript

    Hansa Bhargava, MD: Hi, I’m Dr. Hansa Bhargava from WebMD and I’m joined today by Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC. Thank you for being here, Dr. Frieden. Let’s talk about MRSA infections. They are hard to treat. And more and more parents are worried about the prevention of these. Especially those who have kids in sports where there is close contact. What would you tell these parents?

    Tom Frieden, MD: MRSA, methicillin-resistant Staph aureus, is an organism that became resistant in health care facilities and spread to the community. That’s exactly what we need to stop from happening with other organisms, by improving detection and control of resistant organisms in our hospitals. In terms of MRSA in the community, there are commonsense, simple, low-cost things that people can do to avoid it. Wash your hands regularly. Shower after having vigorous physical activity. Don’t share towels and combs and other things that kids may share and may carry germs on them. These simple things can really reduce the risk. You know sometimes we’re looking for the latest, greatest thing and something as simple as hand washing will make the most difference.

    Hansa Bhargava, MD: So just back to basics. Simple hand washing. And for parents who do think that their child might have a MRSA skin infection, how can they distinguish the difference between a regular skin infection vs. MRSA?

    Tom Frieden, MD: Well, if it doesn’t heal, that’s a big hint. You want to make sure that if they’re cuts or scrapes, they’re washed promptly with soap and water. Cover them during the day time at least, so that they don’t get more dirt and dirty things in them. then if you have a fever or nausea or vomiting, you should be assessed and assessed carefully.

    Related Videos

    Editor's Picks

    • woman with cup of coffee

      Video

      The Truth About Coffee
    • tongue scraper and tongue

      Video

      5 Ways to Beat Bad Breath
    • couple having sex in bed

      Video

      Why Orgasms Feel Good

    Latest Videos

    Top Picks

    • Why Do I Have Sores on My Head?
    • 8 Remedies for Oily Skin
    • Is Salicylic Acid Good For Your Skin?
    • What Causes Hives?
    • What Is Dyshidrotic Eczema?
    • Is It Acne or Eczema?

    further reading

    • MRSA -- What You Need to Know About This "Superbug"
    • MRSA and Other Hospital Acquired Infections: Reducing Your Risks
    • Can You Catch A Contagious Disease?
    • Symptoms of MRSA Infection
    • Understanding MRSA Infection
    • Diagnosing and Treating MRSA Infections
    • 5 MRSA Hot Spots
    • MRSA Topics

    Today on WebMD

    chafing

    What Is Psoriasis?

    Pictures and symptoms of the red, scaly rash.

    ringworm on chest and arm

    Skin Infections

    What you should know.

    tick biting human skin close up

    How Ticks Make You Sick

    8 diseases you can catch from ticks.

    bunions illustration

    The Facts About Bunions

    What causes them, and what you can do about them.

    Recommended for You

    black widow spider Slideshow

    Spider Bites: What You Need to Know

    woman with skin tag Quiz

    Skin Tags: What Are They?

    melasma Slideshow

    What Your Face Says About Your Health

    wart on finger Slideshow

    Warts: A Visual Guide

    mosquito Video

    Are You a Mosquito Magnet?

    woman smelling aromatherapy bottle Slideshow

    How to Use Essential Oils

    iced feet Slideshow

    9 Reasons Your Feet Are Swollen

    Feet Slideshow

    Foot Problems From Bunions to Warts

    Tools & Resources

    • Eczema: How To Control It
    • What Is Sweet Syndrome?
    • Things That Look Scary But Aren't
    • Do I Have a Skin Infection?
    • Why You Smell
    • Why Is My Skin Scaly?

    Health Solutions

    • Penis Curved When Erect
    • Could I have CAD?
    • Treat Bent Fingers
    • Discover hATTR Symptoms
    • Discover Immunotherapy
    • Relapsing MS Options
    • Rethink MS Treatment
    • AFib-Related Strokes
    • Risk of a Future DVT/PE
    • Is My Penis Normal?
    • Weight-Loss Surgery
    • Liver Transplants Save Lives
    • Finance Plastic Surgery
    • Bent Finger Causes
    • Trouble Urinating?
    • Missing Teeth?

    More from WebMD

    • Finding the Care You Need for MS
    • How to Thrive With Narcolepsy
    • Relief for Blocked Hair Follicles
    • Psoriatic Arthritis and Your Sleep
    • What Psoriasis Feels Like
    • First Psoriatic Arthritis Flare
    • Talking to Your Doctor About RA
    • Common Psoriasis Triggers
    • Avoiding Crohn’s Flares
    • Living With Ankylosing Spondylitis
    • When RA Symptoms Get Worse
    • Types of B-Cell Therapy for MS
    • Living Better With T2 Diabetes
    • Why Prostate Cancer Spreads
    • When Ulcerative Colitis Flares
    • Where Breast Cancer Spreads
    • Logo for WebMD
      • Visit WebMD on Facebook
      • Visit WebMD on Twitter
      • Visit WebMD on Pinterest
    • Policies

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Editorial Policy
      • Advertising Policy
      • Correction Policy
      • Terms of Use

      About

      • Contact Us
      • About WebMD
      • Careers
      • Newsletter
      • Corporate
      • WebMD Health Services
      • Site Map
      • Accessibility
    • WebMD Network

      • Medscape
      • Medscape Reference
      • MedicineNet
      • eMedicineHealth
      • RxList
      • OnHealth
      • WebMDRx
      • First Aid
      • WebMD Magazine
      • WebMD Health Record
      • Dictionary
      • Physician Directory
    • Our Apps

      • WebMD Mobile
      • WebMD App
      • Pregnancy
      • Baby
      • Allergy
      • Medscape

      For Advertisers

      • Advertise with Us
      • Advertising Policy

    © 2005 - 2019 WebMD LLC. All rights reserved.

    WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

    See additional information.