By Jay

October 30, 2007 5:29 PM | Link to this

Sanitation and disinfection are key here. I don’t think anyone is taking personal hygiene for granted. It seems that mrsa, shigellosis, and many other maladies are more likely to occur when spaces are frequented by many people. I think disinfecting agents are a temporary fix. Sanitizing with ozone air purifiers may be best as they protect 24/7. EcoQuest air purifiers are scientifically proven to work.

By trisha

October 29, 2007 11:03 AM | Link to this

TO ITSAGODTHNG:I MYSELF AM MAKING SURE MY KIDS ARE KEEPING THEIR HANDS CLEANED AND SANTITIZED PLUS MAKING SURE THEY ARE BATHED AND HAVE CLEAN CLOTHES ON EVERYDAY.MY KIDS HAVE SANTITIZER ALSO SENT WITH THEM TO SCHOOL,BUT WHAT GOOD DOES IT DO WHEN AMANDA ELEM. TEACHERS WONT LET THE CHILDREN USE THEIR SANTITIZER BUT ONE TIME A DAY?POINT IS YES YOU CAN BE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE AT HOME TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN,BUT THE SCHOOLS ARENT!AND SAYING PEOPLE DONT HAVE FAITH IN GOD?AREN’T YOU JUDGING?

By hooshie

October 29, 2007 8:41 AM | Link to this

for those of you that need to boost your immune system after all the antibiotics,try drinking some “kefir”,it is a probiotic and it replenishes your body after you have killed or damaged your antibodies.You can find it at meijers stores in the refrigerated health food section,and it comes in different flavors. by the way,if you want to try and stay free of germs you probably should move to a place that is in a state of below zero temps year round then you might be safe.

By itsaGodthng

October 28, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this

OK everyone! Let’s get real here! Why all the spazzing over something that has been around for a very long time! MEDIA HYPE is what it is called! If the media had not grabbed hold of this, then there would not be a panic attack going on! Am I doing things to protect my children? YES, telling them to wash their hands more frequently and supplying them with hand sanitizer. Obviously, no one on here has faith in GOD above, who will send HIS angels to keep charge over our children! WAKE UP PEOPLE…

By Peggy

October 27, 2007 11:51 AM | Link to this

I was told by my doctor that I can get MRSA from the money that I handle. How wild is that? Anything that you touch gets transfered to your hands and if you have any sort of wound, then the bacteria gets transfered and can cause infection.

By trisha

October 27, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this

THIS IS HOW CONCERNED AMANDA SCHOOL IS ABOUT OUR CHILDREN!I WENT TO GET MY CHILD FROM SCHOOL YESTERDAY, I ASKED HER IF SHE USED HER HAND SANTITIZER,SHE TOLD ME HER TEACHER WOULD ONLY LET HER USE IT ONE TIME!THEY ARE THERE FOR 6 1/2 HOURS AND ONE TIME IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT HER?I WILL BE AT THE SCHOOL FIRST THING MONDAY MORNING TRUST ME!THIS IS JUST CRAP THAT ALL THEY CARE ABOUT IS THEMSELVES!IGNORANT ADULTS IF YOU ASK ME!ALL OF US PARENTS NEED TO CALL A MEETING AT THE SCHOOL!ITS JUST RIDICULOUS!

By michelle

October 27, 2007 9:51 AM | Link to this

and for the locker rooms. how many kids run threw there sweaty and sit on equipment. the weight bench has padding so do they get cleaned on a regular basis. if not this germ is growing really fast you miss one spot on the equipment and its still there. my point is they are saying they are doing what they can. i don’t think so. just washing hands don’t mean there isn’t a chance your child will get the germ. every thing needs to be cleaned every time a child switch classes.

By michelle

October 27, 2007 9:44 AM | Link to this

another thing. a child goes to the restroom opens the door to the stale closes it than sits down then gets back up and opens the door. ok don’t you think about their hands then. how many times does the door get cleaned. then they walk over turn the water on then put soap on their hands then wash the soap off then dry their hands. ok they just put germs back on their hands it u really think about it if these restrooms are not being clean every so often.

By michelle

October 27, 2007 9:38 AM | Link to this

here is something to think about. we are hearing about all the schools having this problem. so how many times does a child use the restroom or locker room or just sitting at a desk. now the teachers don’t sit there and watch these kids wash their hands at all times. so how many times a child who don’t wash their hands can be leaving germs. so why not have a check list to clean these areas every few hours. think about it how many times a day do these area get cleaned.

By sheila

October 27, 2007 1:48 AM | Link to this

Really people come on .J ust keep clean and teach your kids to do the same.

By April13

October 26, 2007 10:35 PM | Link to this

Why do we go over the top when anything happens at a school? The germs are everywhere. And, if you really want to have your eyes opened, try counting the number of adults who use public restrooms and don’t wash their hands. I won’t even get graphic about the ways women avoid sitting on the toilets. But, they don’t clean up the seats when they’re done!! We have some fairly unfortunate hygience habits among the adults of our society. So, please, don’t just think this is a problem in schools.

By decisions

October 26, 2007 5:43 PM | Link to this

This is what you would say to your child!!! NO i would go to jail before i would let you die!!!!!

By decisions

October 26, 2007 5:37 PM | Link to this

Yes i see where that would be a real hard decision! Would i rather go to jail or my child die hum let me think about that one!!!!! DUH!!!

By confused

October 26, 2007 5:32 PM | Link to this

I strongly agree that the schools are not clean enough by far they never were when i was in school years ago and they still are not! It’s the restrooms and locker rooms. Are the staff restrooms as filthy as the students? I also strongly agree that there should be antimicrobial soap dispencers all over the schools! Don’t blame the parents for what the schools are lacking!!

By use your brain

October 26, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

Not only does the education give them a feeling of safety - it really does help protect them. Look at it this way - there is a risk of being killed when riding in a car - but we teach our children to put on seat belts to help keep them safe. We tell them why we make them wear the seat belt - how is that different from teaching them about MRSA and hygiene?

By use your brain

October 26, 2007 4:21 PM | Link to this

Not only does the education give them a feeling of safety - it really does help protect them. Look at it this way - there is a risk of being killed when riding in a car - but we teach our children to put on seat belts to help keep them safe. We tell them why we make them wear the seat belt - how is that different from teaching them about MRSA and hygiene?

By use your brain

October 26, 2007 4:15 PM | Link to this

What do you tell a child - most children are smarter than they are given credit for. Sit them down - explain that while something like MRSA is dangerous there are safety precautions that can help keep them more safe - like handwashing, show then how to properly wash their hands, explain that they shouldn’t put anything in their mouth - like their pencil or fingers, not to pick their nose, and other small things like that. Give them the power with education and they will feel safer.

By preacher,franklin,ohio

October 26, 2007 3:22 PM | Link to this

home,schooling,notpublic,schoolsgeter,doneforjesusgodblessyou,all.

By middletown citizen

October 26, 2007 1:28 PM | Link to this

oooops! guess what? here goes our tax money again. Thats right, this is gonna cost alot of money, so get ready to find you another job, if they do all this cleaning, they will need more supplies, and workers, maybe we should bring back the mexicans.

By Patty Fitzgerald

October 26, 2007 12:44 PM | Link to this

My grandson ask his mom this morning are you sending me to school today to die and she told him I have to send you or I could be sent to jail What do you say to a child when they ask you a question like that. Its pretty bad when the kids think about dieing just for going to school. Kids should’nt thnk about death when they are on there way to school

By RN

October 26, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

I just want to clear up a couple things.. MRSA is not a bacteria of “dirty people.” Hand washing is important, so is alcohol based hand gel, covering wounds, etc. But, it is not spread by dirty people. I work in a local hospital in the E.R., ICU, etc. I see MRSA on a daily basis. You can shut down the world and disinfect everything but the problem is that people are carriers of bacteria. You may be a carrier for MRSA and not have an active infection and may have it on your skin.

By Bill

October 26, 2007 12:08 PM | Link to this

Almost lost my wife to s staph infection several years ago, so yes I do take this MSRA stuff seriously. People today don’t seem to understand the basics of good hygeine at all! It’s a wonder that everyone isn’t infected with something today, with all the bad habits people have.

Shut dow the schools for a couple of days, go in and sterilize everything that can be cleaned, then clean them at the end of everyday! The high probability areas should be disinfected more frequently.

By :)

October 26, 2007 11:14 AM | Link to this

Check out the following article posted in the New York Times. It gives a little more insight into what is going on around the country regarding the staph infections.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/17/us/17school-cnd.html?ex=1350273600&en=3ebfa52ae845225e&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

By Michelle C.

October 26, 2007 11:12 AM | Link to this

from the Fairfield schools where she attends. Anyways I had to shut my pool down for about a week and I had to clean, sanitized and adjust my chemicals, but I dont see it as anybodys fault, just something that happened, No different then coming in contact with someone that has Mono or the flu and any other thing that is contagious. I dealt with it, although it hurt like crazy and was hard to walk cuz of where the MRSA was located. Ok, I am done, just wanted people to know our story.

By Michelle C.

October 26, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this

VoiceofReason: I was not attacking you when I commented yesterday, just kind of took it that you were blaming parents for this by not teaching their kids hygiene. Anyways this infection is out there and we all need to take precautions, but we can not live in isolation over this..As for my health when I came down with the MRSA, yeah I was healthy as far as i know. The Dr’s have come to the conclusion that I got it from the pool. I let my daughter have a 4th of July swim party, with alot of kids

By Miss S

October 26, 2007 10:56 AM | Link to this

I really suggest someone from Middletown Hospital Infection Control should go to the school and education our children on the importantace of Handwashing. I feel that once the children see first hand the severity of MRSA, I feel the handwashing will be more utilized in the schools. Another suggestion. In the hospital, we have alcohol foam hand disinfectant outside every patient room, having those outside bathrooms, and classrooms, USED W/Handwashing could reduce the risk of exposure to MRSA.

By MissS

October 26, 2007 10:49 AM | Link to this

I wanted to comment, I’ve worked in a hospital for 8 years, and yes staph does usually come from hospitals. BUT I’ve recently went into Middletown H.S. and saw that there is NO antimicrobial soaps, just deoderant soaps, and the bathrooms are FILTHY!!! HANDWASHING is the number 1 key. and the schools need to use the disinfectants that hospitals use. Also, temperature controls need to be a cooler level cause its hard for bacteria to grow on cool surfaces. But all in all, WASH YOUR HANDS!!!

By VoiceofReason

October 26, 2007 10:41 AM | Link to this

I apologize for offending anyone then. But I get offended by people who continue to ignore facts and common sense and perpetuate FUD (fear, uncertainty and doom) like this when we are talking about kids. These same adults are repeating these things to their kids no doubt, and then the kids perpetuate it at school. I’ve heard it already in a school with no reported cases yet. I’m not interested in being liked. I’m interested in confronting misinformation and getting people to be reasonable.

By michelle

October 26, 2007 10:10 AM | Link to this

you know i have my kids coming home and saying that the locker rooms at their school stinks and is nasty..do they really clean these schools like they should..i really don’t think they clean these schools like they should…there is no school on weekends, so why don’t the people who clean these schools clean them from top to bottom…all we here is they are washing hands, what about using disinfectant sprays like lysol..something needs to be done now..not when its to late..

By GottaSmile

October 26, 2007 9:43 AM | Link to this

VoiceofReason,your points are well taken and your arguments are sound.Science and the medical community would support your cause, but your tone is offensive.You are obsesive with your posts and allienating those you hope to “educate”.I agree,closing the schools is not the answer.Investigating rumors for lack of soap in Middletown & closed restrooms at Ross Highschool would be advisable.Find the root cause.Solve the problem.MRSA must be handled with due caution,but hype & panic need not apply.

By VoiceofReason

October 26, 2007 9:15 AM | Link to this

It also makes me wonder-aside from the antibiotics themselves - just how much the proliferation of anti-bacterial soaps, lotions, wipes, etc. are contributing to the much wider instance of cases of things like MRSA. Are we really better off? Or are we just accelerating the creation of the next resistant “superbug?”

By VoiceofReason

October 26, 2007 9:11 AM | Link to this

Oh yeah - almost forgot - IF the claims of bathrooms having no soap in Middletown are true - the the Journal and local TV stations should be out there TODAY (if not yesterday) investigating these claims. That IS ridiculous given the circumstances. THAT’s what should be the news here.

By VoiceofReason

October 26, 2007 9:08 AM | Link to this

Finally-my daughter had her ears pierced just a month ago at a mall jewelry store. Every part of the process that came in contact with her ear came in a sealed, sterile pouch/package of some sort, and the employee wore sterile gloves. THINK ABOUT IT PEOPLE. If it were THAT easy to pass and pickup - WHY don’t we already have an epidemic in our schools instead of less than 10 cases in almost every instance? Be diligent, but reasonable.

By VoiceofReason

October 26, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this

First, obviously, hospitals is not the ONLY place MRSA can be found. Read the news for the past week. Do you think there is something specific to schools that causes it to breed there? Nope-it’s the humans in them. Secondly-Michelle-Were you completely healthy when you contracted it? Did you have any open wounds or an otherwise compromised immune system? I mean, it’s easy to make your argument without knowing your medical history and suceptability. That’s how things get blown out of proportion.

By in the know

October 26, 2007 8:53 AM | Link to this

Voice you need to educate yourself before passing blame onto parents, MRSA is a bacteria that is mainly found in Hospitals and places like schools not in the home!!!!! the staph may start at home but mrsa is contracted otherwise!!! MY wife contracted the disease after going to the hospital and spent 7 days in the ICU

By GottaSmile

October 26, 2007 8:37 AM | Link to this

The six confirmed cases are from Ross Local Schools at all four buildings.I stressed with my children,the importance of washing their hands through out the day.My oldest is in the highschool(3 cases).She said all the bathrooms except the ones across from the office are have been locked up to prevent smoking.I sent my kids to school today with antibacterial wipes because I understand a clean desk is contaminated the instant the 1st kid sits down.I will check on the restroom situation today.

By Annoyed

October 26, 2007 8:35 AM | Link to this

If they aren’t going to disinfect everything at the schools every classroom should be supplied with hand sanitizer-couldn’t hurt.

By star

October 26, 2007 7:51 AM | Link to this

mrsa is in homestead senior high now alot of kids are scared and treating the kids thjat have it like animals i dnt know what to say or do!homestead senior is not shuting down the school and not cleaning anything.

By edit_rrrr

October 26, 2007 7:40 AM | Link to this

Headline: “Bacteria is everywhere”; text: “bacteria … are likely all around us.” Copyediting, anyone?

By Michelle

October 25, 2007 9:51 PM | Link to this

This is in response to VoiceofReason. No matter how clean you are you can get this infection. I am here to tell you that I am a very, very clean person and a parent that teaches my kids proper hygiene. I came down with this infection on my leg this past July, dont know how or where i got it from. All I know is that I had to take 5 different antibiotics (yes, all at the same time), I had to see a surgeon on 3 different occassion not including the 7 visits to the family doctor.

By Denise

October 25, 2007 6:14 PM | Link to this

MRSA has been around for years… everyone is getting hyped up about it now. People do not understand hygiene. This can easily be observed by the length and procedure people use when washing their hands. I don’t think the public can be retrained.

Everyone wants an antibiotic when they sneeze or get a running nose. Overuse and overprescribed antibiotic use has led to MRSA in the first place.

By Peggy

October 25, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this

It isn’t a matter of good hygiene at home that causes this problem. This is a staph infection that cannot be cured, just treated and it is not cheap to treat either. I got mrsa at a mall jewelry store after getting my ear pierced. The guns cannot be sterilized so it was passed that way. There were no other risk factors. I am way past school age, I do not go to a gym, etc. Also, by taking antibiotics frequently, your body loses the ability to fight the infection so you have a vicious cycle.

By VoiceofReason

October 25, 2007 8:34 AM | Link to this

This is more the result of parents not enforcing good hygiene practices in their children than the schools not being properly cleaned. The media (hello Journal) is hyping this to sell papers and get clicks on their website. Why aren’t they asking the question, “Is enough being done by parents to prevent staph and other infections?”