School closes, cleans as staph precaution
Monday, October 22, 2007
WEST LIBERTY — School officials chose to be cautious Monday by closing school early and disinfecting the buildings to prevent the possible spread of staph infection.
A case at Greenview Schools led to West Liberty-Salem School District's shortened day, even though no students at West Liberty have been confirmed to have the infection, West Liberty Superintendent Linda Sparks said.
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"We see this as being proactive, and it alleviates some fears in the parents' minds," she said. "It is kind of a scary situation."
High school varsity football players and middle school volleyball teams played and used locker rooms during the weekend at Greenview, where a soccer player was confirmed to have a case of staph infection, Sparks said.
Local health officials did not recommend the shut down, but Sparks said she felt closing at 1 p.m. for cleaning was appropriate.
"We have to make sure we're being extra clean," she said.
The Champaign County Health District provided information to school districts about the importance of good sanitation practices at all times.
Cleanliness — especially in locker rooms and restrooms — should be routine, the district stated.
The health district also recommended frequent hand washing.
For more information on staff infection and prevention, visit the health district's Web site at champaignhd.com
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0226 or nmorales@coxohio.com
