Bucs MRSA Outbreak and the Media

[JennaLaine]

Hi guys. I know I don't post on here often, but I wanted to get your takes on an important issue that impacts the healthy and safety of journalists.

As you all probably know by now, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have two players who contracted MRSA. It was discovered while the Bucs were in New England. Players returned Sunday and learned of the infections Monday. The media was not notified until Thursday, when Alex Marvez and Mike Garafolo broke the story (or Mort, whoever had it first).

That was the first that the local media in Tampa Bay had learned of MRSA. The team thought to spent over five figures on cleaning the entire facility, but didn't bother to let any reporters know who may have come into contact with a towel in the locker room at some point?

I think it raises a valid concern when it comes to safety. Would you be mad if the team you covered daily had a staph outbreak in the building and didn't bother to inform you so that maybe you could get what you thought was a spider bite checked out?

None of us have it. I just find it irresponsible and inconsiderate on the organization's part. What say you?

 

[TheWhiskeyDiaries]

I guess that means Martin can't wear flip flops in the clubhouse any more.

 

[playthrough]

Very legit concern, yet no surprise that the team wouldn't bother to tell the media. If a writer doesn't feel comfortable raising heck about it with a team executive, I'd hope his/her editor would, or maybe even the PFWAA would file a formal complaint. Yes, I know that would be largely symbolic, but it's the principle of it. I don't need the team I'm covering to make me physically ill, the business does enough of that already.

 

[Elliotte Friedman]

Yes, you have reason to be upset. I have a 22-month-old son...if I was in an environment where I can be infected, I'd like to know about it.

 

[TigerVols]

Derek Dooley thinks it's atrocious.

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=5551430

 

[DocTalk]

FYI. MRSA is everywhere, not just in locker rooms, wrestling mats and hospitals. It is routine to treat any skin abscess with antibiotics that combat MRSA as well as all the other usual suspects. MRSA s so frequently found, that it isn't worth doing cultures.

For prevention? Wash your hands...alot

 

[3_Octave_Fart]

The (St. Louis) Rams were notorious for staph outbreaks in the early aughts.

 

[buckweaver]

Add Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes to the MRSA list, thanks to the Bucs' facility. (It seems the team is going out of its way to not admit guilt, for fear of possible lawsuits.) His wife is NOT happy about it.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/buccaneers-place-lawrence-tynes-non-football-injury-because-142039864--nfl.html

 

[93Devil]

FYI. MRSA is everywhere, not just in locker rooms, wrestling mats and hospitals. It is routine to treat any skin abscess with antibiotics that combat MRSA as well as all the other usual suspects. MRSA s so frequently found, that it isn't worth doing cultures.

For prevention? Wash your hands...alot

This.

It's pretty common in hospitals, right?

 

[albert77]

This doesn't affect me, because I'll never see the inside of an NFL locker room again. But it got me thinking. If this stuff is running around loose in the facility of an NFL team, which (one would think) has the resources to prevent it, what sort of germs and such are prevalent in high school locker rooms, especially in poorer areas of the country (like where I live). Some of the places I go are pretty decrepit, and I've got a new grandbaby on the way that I'm going to be around a lot in the coming months. Might just be a story there.

 

[93Devil]

This doesn't affect me, because I'll never see the inside of an NFL locker room again. But it got me thinking. If this stuff is running around loose in the facility of an NFL team, which (one would think) has the resources to prevent it, what sort of germs and such are prevalent in high school locker rooms, especially in poorer areas of the country (like where I live). Some of the places I go are pretty decrepit, and I've got a new grandbaby on the way that I'm going to be around a lot in the coming months. Might just be a story there.

It's everywhere. But I think you are also never going to get rid of it.

 

[JennaLaine]

Guys,

Thanks so much for your responses. I initially felt uncomfortable raising the question on Twitter and then on here, but within the last week or two, I've have a number of reporters come up to me thanking me for doing it. I think it's important that teams, high school to NFL, take into consideration the health and safety of those who may not be employees but still come into contact with players and equipment.

Really appreciate you all chiming in. And sorry for a bit of a late response. Actually had to go to the hospital myself (not for MRSA...fainted from dehydration...so yeah, trading one germy, staph-infested place for another!)