Lori Wilkinson on tue 30 apr 96
While talking to a friend of mine that teaches pottery at a university she
asked me to submit this question to the list because she found no info
available. She has an HIV positive student in her class. All throwing
water and trimmed clay is reclaimed. She wonders with the way hands get cut
and chapped if there was a precaution necessary since the clay is reclaimed
and used in her studio by herself and other students. Input from anyone
knowledgeable on this matter especially with documentation would be greatly
appreciated or suggestions as to where the info might be available would be
welcomed too. TIA
Lori Wilkinson Roswell NM
lorwilk@lookingglass.net
Lisa Skeen on tue 30 apr 96
In a message dated 96-04-30 06:46:50 EDT, you write:
> She wonders with the way hands get cut
>and chapped if there was a precaution necessary since the clay is reclaimed
>and used in her studio by herself and other students.
Greetings. I was a volunteer and trainer with our local AIDS Service
Organization for 2 years. I don't want to say that there is NO chance of
HIV transmission in the studio setting, because that would be misleading;
however, the chances are incredibly slim. HIV is a protein-loving virus
which doesn't live long in the open air. Any blood that did get into the
throwing water or clay would be so diluted that it should not be a problem.
If the HIV+ student has been open with the teacher about his/her condition,
then IMHO, that person is probably responsible enough to keep out of the
clay/water when he/she has a cut, not only to prevent contamination of the
clay, but to prevent him/herself from getting infected by germs that might be
living in the clay or water.
Of course, accidents do happen, and for this reason we recommend that a
bottle of bleach water be kept in a safe place for cleanup in case of ANYONE
getting cut. I personally would also keep a pair or two of latex gloves on
hand (so to speak).
Please call the National AIDS Hotline at 1-800-342-2437 for more information.
They will answer all your specific questions and send you brochures and
information so that you can respond to any concerns the students or parents
might have.
Lisa
Mary Petkovsek/Tivoli Systems on tue 30 apr 96
I once shared a studio with a person with AIDS, and it's really not that scary
when you think about it. The HIV virus dies almost instantly when it's not in
a human body (needs to be at body temp, etc. to live) So it's not like the
virus could live and breed in recycle bins or glaze buckets.
What my friend did was wear surgical gloves when dealing with glazes and
recycled clay. This was as much for personal safety as public safety, since a
person with AIDS is much more prone to infection than the rest of us.
I don't have any supporting documentation, but I hope this will calm some fears
anyway.
Mary in Austin
lorwilk @ lookingglass.net (Lori Wilkinson)
04/30/96 06:45 AM
To: CLAYART @ LSV.UKY.EDU (Multiple recipients of list CLAYART) @ Net
cc: (bcc: Mary Petkovsek/Tivoli Systems)
Subject: HIV and reclaimed clay
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
While talking to a friend of mine that teaches pottery at a university she
asked me to submit this question to the list because she found no info
available. She has an HIV positive student in her class. All throwing
water and trimmed clay is reclaimed. She wonders with the way hands get cut
and chapped if there was a precaution necessary since the clay is reclaimed
and used in her studio by herself and other students. Input from anyone
knowledgeable on this matter especially with documentation would be greatly
appreciated or suggestions as to where the info might be available would be
welcomed too. TIA
Lori Wilkinson Roswell NM
lorwilk@lookingglass.net
ELCAB@delphi.com on tue 30 apr 96
It is my understanding that the HIV virus doesn't live for long
outside of human fluids..People can swim in pools etc with HIV
people and its okay, so I suspect the reclaimed clay is
also..However I am not a scientist and I do not even play one
on TV...Elca Branman elcab@delphi.com
Tim Lynch on tue 30 apr 96
HIV, compared with many other viruses, is weak, fragile, and easily
destroyed outside the body. HIV is usually contacted through unprotected
sexual intercourse, direct introduction into the bloodstream (needle
sharing), or mother to child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth,
or breastfeeding. Casual contact with persons who have HIV orAIDS does
not place you at any risk. There has never been a case of an infected
person transmitting HIV to anyone living in the same household, except
when there was unprotected sexual contact or needle sharing.
You cannot contract HIV through normal, everyday interactions with
persons who have HIV or AIDS. This includes shaking hands, hugging,
kissing, crying, coughing, sneezing, or giving or receiving massages from
persons with HIV or AIDS. You also cannot contract the virus from water
in pools or baths, from food or beverages, from bed linens, towels, cups,
dishes, straws, or other eating utensils, or from toilets, dorrknobs,
telephones, office equipment, or furniture. HIV is not transmitted
through vomit, sweat, stool, or nasal secretions. And although the virus
has been isolated in very small concentrations in tears, urine, and
saliva of some HIV-positive persons, you cannot get HIV through contact
with these fluids. In addition, you cannot get HIV from mosquito or
other insect bites. (Unlike insect-transmitted viruses or parasites, such
as malaria and yellow fever, HIV does not infect insects' salivary glands.
For more information, call the National AIDS Hotline, 1-800-342-AIDS
text taken from a National Education Association handbook.
Hope this is useful.
Tim Lynch
On Tue, 30 Apr 1996, Lori Wilkinson wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> While talking to a friend of mine that teaches pottery at a university she
> asked me to submit this question to the list because she found no info
> available. She has an HIV positive student in her class. All throwing
> water and trimmed clay is reclaimed. She wonders with the way hands get cut
> and chapped if there was a precaution necessary since the clay is reclaimed
> and used in her studio by herself and other students. Input from anyone
> knowledgeable on this matter especially with documentation would be greatly
> appreciated or suggestions as to where the info might be available would be
> welcomed too. TIA
>
> Lori Wilkinson Roswell NM
>
> lorwilk@lookingglass.net
>
JPLEAK@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu on wed 1 may 96
I am a graduate student at Georgia Southern University and have been working
in clay ever since I found out thet I was HIV positive. Jane, my prof
knows about my situation. I do have information on the subject. We work
in recalimed clay here. It is true that HIV does not live out of the body
long enough for it to be a problem. According to the CDC, the virus can not
live out of the body for more than 2 seconds. It is diluted by water also
and this also reduces risk. As far as precautions are concerned FOR the
person who is infected, any bacteria is a problem. A 10 to 1 ratio of 10
galons to 1 cup of bleach is enough to disinfect. Keep bleach around and don't
worry too much about it. I'm sure I can speak for all of us (the infected),
that we have already been slapped in the face if you know what I mean.
Take precautions and don't make too much of a fuss over it.
Thanks'
Jeff Walker
jpleak@gsvms2.cc.gasou.edu
Janathel M. Shaw on wed 1 may 96
Lori:
Whew!, what a difficult spot to be in. Because you
brought it up, it really has an impact. If I knew of a
student who were HIV positive, I'd have a private
and hopefully sensitive talk about safety measures.
Perhaps I'd provide a small individual recycling
bin. This issue is so delicate, that almost any
suggestion might be viewed as paranoid or
insensitive. HOWEVER, if their blood is
accidentally transmitted, it could have dire
consequences for someone else.
I'm sure that I've worked and will work with fellow
artists who sadly are inflicted. All I can do is pray
that they take care of themselves and continue to
practice safe health measures.
I hope I have not offended anyone.
Terry Pearson on thu 2 may 96
Let's face it - IF this person is a risk to others in this
particular context, then everything is an equal risk - going
to the doctor, buying any kind of commercially prepared food,
swimming *anywhere* etc. If you do not personally and directly
swap bodily fluids with this person, then you should have no
more to worry about than you ususally do. However much that is.
Also, IF there is a risk from this person, then there is also
a "hidden" risk from those members of your class who are HIV
positive but do not know it yet. That means that any measures
you take in regard to this one person *may* be completely
meaningless.
Terry
Cheryl Shoemaker on fri 3 may 96
If the end result of this unwarranted phobia were not so hideous I might be
moved to find humor in it ... there is no room for such luxury. READ. Educate
yourself. Calm your fears and go about the business of being human.
.... today I am very pleased ... I've been keeping track of this thread and the
enlightened/educated responses outnumber the uneducated/fearful by 4:1. That is
enough to make me actually smile. Education is working... _slowly_ but surely.
Cheryl Shoemaker
Cyberpots@aol.com on fri 3 may 96
Dear Fellow potter and art educators:
Even in the public elementary schools there are children with HIV.
Information that
is factual would be helpful. While I doubt the HIV virus could live in a
slurry bucket,
I would like to know since I teach 420 kids and also teach a lot of clay.
Anybody
got medical facts about this?
Marie.late bloomer
dannon@ns1.koyote.com on sat 4 may 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Dear Fellow potter and art educators:
>
>Even in the public elementary schools there are children with HIV.
> Information that
>is factual would be helpful. While I doubt the HIV virus could live in a
>slurry bucket,
>I would like to know since I teach 420 kids and also teach a lot of clay.
>Anybody
>got medical facts about this?
>
>Marie.late bloomer
>
>
Marie:
I checked with the hospital infection control unit. They told me: HIV
lives outside the body about two seconds. That limits the danger
considerably, although it does not make it non-existent.
They then volunteered that in the conditions I described, that Hepititas B
can thrive for months and months. It can live on a dry surface, or in a
slurry bucket, it is well protected by it's encapsulation. To protect from
either/both: keep bleach on hand, and a spray bottle of dilute bleach
(about 10:1). Spray blood spills (NOT CUTS!!) with bleach, wipe up, spray
again. Put bleach in slurry buckets.
Dannon Rhudy
Cheryl Shoemaker on sat 4 may 96
This from the household nurse who has consulted two of our fine cities leading
AIDS specialists (who by the way I won't name because they are way too damn busy
making lives more liveable...).
.... oh yes .. there MAY be possibility of HIV transmission in a clay studio, if
and only if, the students are having unprotected sex in their slurry buckets and
their slurry buckets are kept at body temperature or they are sharing used
needles and storing them in the reclaimed clay which is kept at body temperature
and never allowed to dry out, is fed protein and whatever else it needs to live
and the person who goes to reclaim it had open wounds on any body parts that may
come in contact with it ... or preforming some mingling of the blood ritual...
.... yea .. that stuff happens around my shop every day ....
Cheryl Shoemaker
KCottr5239@aol.com on sat 4 may 96
As a registered nurse, employed in the public health field, I found this to
be a great question. HIV is actually a very fragile virus that dies quickly
once outside of the human body. A greater concern would be exposure to
hepatitis b, which has the ability to survive in a clay bucket for a period
of time. As with potential exposure to any body fluids, use common sense,
and avoid obvious exposure to blood and other bodily fluids.
K Cottrell R.N.
Salt Lake City, UT
Cheryl Shoemaker on tue 7 may 96
>>I do know that if these people are telling you about there condition then you
really have nothing to worry about because they are making you aware of their
situation.<<
GOOD POINT. ... but you can't blame anyone for not pronouncing their HIV status
to the world. (... and to those of you who _did_ out here in front of 3000
potters ... I bow to the ground before you.) They never know who's going to
jump back 10 feet and who's not ... and who's going to say you have to have your
OWN slurry bucket or some such nonsense. Sometimes it looks like the parting of
the Red Sea.
.... and .. I punched in HIV into an Internet search gizmo and there was gobs of
information about transmission right there at our fingertips. The Center for
Disease Control even has it's own web page where you can order (for free)
information on routes of transmission, etc. I found tons of downloadable stuff
too... HIV in the workplace etc. etc. .. all right there at our fingertips....
This morning a friend pointed out that most folks do not deal with this until
they are faced with it. I needed to be reminded of that. (Thanks) I will admit
to not educating myself fully until I knew somebody who was positive but that
was 10 years ago and I don't think there was information everywhere like there
is now. Did it make me run? No. Did it make me _want_ to run? No. ... but
watching other people's reactions to it over the years as it became increasingly
apparent both in the workplace and socially sure gave me a damn short fuse.
Cheryl Shoemaker
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