Get Rid of Scabies
Get Rid of Scabies provides information for prisoners, their families and Corrections staff about treating scabies. Symptoms include a rash and itchy skin, which can develop an infection if scratched and left untreated.
The full resource:
NOTE: This Department of Corrections resource cannot be ordered from this website. All men’s prisons throughout New Zealand received hard copies of this resource in July 2013.
Get Rid of Scabies
Scabies causes a very itchy rash. Tiny insects (mites) lay eggs under the skin. The skin gets small blisters with red patches around them.
Anybody can get scabies.
- The scabies mite gets under your skin and makes you scratch.
- Put in a health request form (health chit) to talk to a nurse.
- If you have scabies, the nurse gives you some cream.
- The nurse tells custody your washing needs to be done differently. (Custody are used to this, so don’t worry about it.)
- If you can, have a shower at night. Dry yourself well after the shower.
- Rub the cream all over your body, from the chin down.
- Put your night clothes on and go to bed.
- The next morning, have a shower and put on clean clothes.
If you think someone in your unit has scabies, let the health staff know so it can be treated quickly.
This resource is based on information from the Ministry of Health resource Scabies, May 2011.