How should we clean our school’s athletic facilities and locker rooms to help prevent the spread of MRSA?
Surfaces that should be singled out for most frequent cleaning are those that people touch most often, such as benches, treatment tables, and door handles. “Take the weightroom for example,” says Hedrick. “In many facilities, it is now common practice to keep a spray bottle near the machines, and for each person to wipe down the equipment after using it. That’s a great idea, because those surfaces are shared by multiple users in close succession. “On the other hand, when a student in Virginia died recently after contracting MRSA, they closed all the area schools to clean and disinfect everything inside,” he continues. “That was an overreaction. As soon as the students came back, they brought the bacteria right back with them. The focus should be making it standard practice to frequently clean areas that are most often touched—not making an all-out one-time effort.” What should our custodians and others who clean our athletic facilities know about MRSA? There are many cleaning and disin
