| Updated: 2/28/2008 11:16 am |
Published: 11/07/2007 4:30 pm
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(TULSA, Okla.) November 7 - Across the country schools are fighting the superbug. In fact at least 22 schools across the region have reported cases of MRSA.
Because this staph infection can be fatal, stressing the importance of washing your hands is the number one priority.
But in some schools, keeping and getting paper towels and soap in student restrooms, even after several complaints, has been difficult.
The Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association says yesterday it received calls from teachers at Lindbergh, Disney and Patrick Henry Elementary, as well as Memorial High School. The calls came yesterday but they were reported about several times last week.
Tonight the district says every school is fully stocked with sanitation supplies, ready for students to use.
Grandmother Florence Adams spends time with grandson Cohen outside and she also spends time volunteering at Disney Elementary, where her other grandson goes to school. “We work a lot within the school anyway, so if we find out, we always usually go down and talk to them about it and see what can be done and talk with the principals and teachers.”
MRSA hasn't been reported at Disney, but it's still on top of mind and she knows it can pop up anywhere. That's why she says she's surprised to hear that Disney is one of several schools that didn't have soap or paper towels. “Oh, it's concerns me.”
It’s a feeling shared by the association's president, Denzell Kesterson. That's why he says it's important for the proper people to know if supplies are running low. “I think part of the time, it's a breakdown in communication.”
For last month the entire district ran low, but never ran out, and there were always supplies to be delivered to all the sites if they called in and requested it.
The district says crews worked around the clock, making sure every soap dispenser was full and every school was properly stocked with other supplies.
Yesterday they were out all night making sure, because it was trickling in that the teachers were complaining about it.
The district recently put a new protocol in place to deal with infectious diseases. One part, if any staff member sees something suspicious, they have to report it to health services and basically it's treated like MRSA. Then teachers are supposed to check their cleaning supplies and things like soap and paper towels in restrooms. If supplies are low, the maintenance staff will re-stock them.
The Tulsa Public School District is one of several to confirm cases of MRSA in the area.
Students from Broken Arrow, Jenks, Muskogee, Owasso, Coweta, Union and Choteau have also tested positive for the infection.
For more information on how to protect your family from MRSA just click on the MRSA link on the left side of the screen.
