On September 16th, fifteen football players suffered from first- and second-degree burns on their necks, backs, and chests due to a corrosive disinfectant sprayed onto football pads at Springbrook High School. According to Isabelle Khurshudyan from The Washington Post, the custodial staff sprayed the pads with Virex II 256, which is supposed to be used only for non-porous (solid, not allowing liquid or air to pass through) objects such as walls and floors, which is stated on the bottle. Football pads, which are very porous and absorbent, are not meant to be cleaned this way.

The boys reportedly complained of a burning sensation, and it became hard for them to focus on practice. The burns sent a few boys to the hospital, including junior defensive lineman Matthew Robinson, who was hospitalized for 3 days following the incident.

Khurshudyan aslo states that many parents have been thinking of suing Montgomery County Schools due to the miscommunication between the school and parents, who were not aware of a possible staph infection nor the use of the disinfectant.

With Springbrook being so close to PB, the question of whether or not this could happen here is an issue worth looking into.  According to Paint Branch Athletic Director Ms. Podosek, PB takes all the proper MCPS precautions when it comes to potential health issues.

Asked about what precautions PB takes to make sure all athletes are safe, Ms. Podosek says, “Student-athletes view a powerpoint provided from MCPS regarding health and safety.  Coaches also review MRSA/staph infection guidelines. All athletes are encouraged to shower and wash clothing regularly, which is the #1 precaution guideline for preventing infectious diseases.” Additionally, Ms. Podosek notes that all student-athletes are to report to our athletic trainer with any open wounds or skin irritations and/or infections.”

While no school can ever be sure of which health scare may come their way, each school should have a plan to protect all students.