Cleanup after Oklahoma tornado poses health risks
Deadly tornadoes swept through Oklahoma in a two-week span in late May, leaving homes destroyed and lives lost.
Gov. Mary Fallin told "Face the Nation" Sunday,"It's a lot of cleanup to be done around Oklahoma."
And that cleanup can pose health risks, doctors are warning.
"You hate for this tragedy to lead into another medical tragedy because they got injured," Dr. Lamont Cavanagh, director of sports medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, said to CBS News' Tony Russell.
About 50 percent of tornado-related injuries occur after the storm, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About a third of those injuries include stepping on nails. Also posing risks are falling heavy objects, carbon monoxide poisoning and fires from damaged electrical and power lines.
When cleaning and removing debris, people may risk developing skin infections like Staph or they may be exposed to tetanus, a serious bacterial infection that can lead to muscle spasms of the jaw and spine. The bacteria usually enter the body through a deep cut, for instance from stepping on a nail, the National Institutes of Health notes.
People who have not been vaccinated may require a tetanus shot, and those who have been vaccinated but could have been exposed to the bacteria may need a booster dose.
"I'll certainly get a tetanus shot I'm sure, but right now...no. Just helping out as much as we can that's key right now, I'll take a shot later on," Broken Arrow Okla. resident Adam Schwabauer said to Russell.
The Tulsa Medical Reserve Corps. recently returned from Moore -- the site of the May 21 tornado -- giving tetanus shots to responders.
Some health risks after a tornado may take a life.
Following a Joplin, Missouri tornado in May 2011, at least three people died from zygomycosis, Russell reported. Also known as mucormycosis, the disease is a rare fungal infection associated with decaying organic matter that's found in soil. In Joplin, the fungus was stirred up by tornado winds that were either inhaled or entered people's bodies through puncture wounds.
To stay safe when cleaning up after a tornado, wear sturdy shoes or boots, long sleeves and gloves, the CDC recommends. If you're going to operate gas or electric-powered tools, follow proper safety procedures. Clean up spilled hazardous materials including spilled medicines and flammable liquids.
A tornado can also leave mold, the CDC adds, which can cause health problems in people with asthma and allergies. Mold can be seen as discoloration on walls and ceilings, or can smell musty or earthy.
Moldy items that can't be washed like mattresses, carpets and upholstered furniture, should be thrown out. Drywall and insulation contaminated with sewage or waters should also be removed. The rest could be cleaned with hot water, laundry or dish detergent.
The CDC has more information on cleaning up safely after a disaster.
