Utah's Davis County considers diaper ban
Utah last summer recorded 1,963 cases of cryptosporidiosis. There were just 14 cases during the previous summer.
Lewis Garrett, who was named 2007’s Health Officer of the Year by the Utah Association of Local Boards of Health, favors a permanent ban on diapers in public pools.
That’s because he thinks summer 2008 will bring another cryptosporidiosis outbreak to Utah, especially to the recreational swimming areas in the four counties of the Wasatch Front.
“We’ve been told by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that when you have a outbreak of this magnitude, it comes back a year later, “ Garrett --who is executive director of the Davis County Health Department-- told The Salk Lake Tribune.
“It’s an insidious little bug.”
The step to ban diaper-clad tots from public pools in baby-friendly Utah is getting serious consideration from public health officials. Garrett, working through his Davis County Board of Health, has been shaking up public health in Utah. A few examples:
[] Minors not with their parents are prohibited from using tanning booths.
[] Mass clinics locations have been established using Mormon church stake centers.
[] Outdoor smoking has been banned in public places.
[] Protecting public well water through new source protection ordinances.
In response to the last cryptosporidiosis outbreak, the Utah Department of Health prohibited children under 5 from public swimming pools. In addition, pools were required to implement hyper-chlorination measures. The ban on diapers applied without regard to age.
The state restrictions, however, were lifted last month.
After that, Garrett brought the issue back up before the Davis County Board of Health. He favors making the ban on diaper-wearing youngsters permanent. But, the board majority isn’t there---yet.
Ann Benson, chairwoman of the board, says Garrett is “very much on the leading edge; proactive rather than process-oriented.”
This one will be interesting to watch.
