Some parents are upset with how a Bloomfield day care handled a recent case of MRSA that one of their staff members was diagnosed with.
Parents told NBC Connecticut officials at The Kids Place on Jolley Drive were notified that a teacher came down with MRSA last Friday. They said they were not told about the problem until Monday morning when they showed up to drop off their children.
"All of the staff and the teachers were seated outside and they said this is the information we've been instructed to give you. It's up to you if you want to leave your daughter," said Nicole Miller, a parent from Hartford.
"The staff said it's their decision if they want to go in the building or not and they were not, so they were going to have classes outside," said Dianne Norton, a parent from West Hartford.
The teacher is back at school, according to parents, but that's not why they are upset. Instead, they feel the Massachusetts-based company should have notified them sooner. They're also upset at hearing the company chose not to hire professional cleaners to disinfect the building.
"The staff shouldn't be asked to clean after a MRSA exposure," said Miller.
MRSA is an infection caused by a staph infection, and is resistant to antibiotic treatment, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms can include painful boils on the skin, and can lead to life-threatening infections. It is transmitted by skin to skin contact.
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State guidelines from the Department of Public Health do not require child care centers to use professional cleaning services after a MRSA exposure, as long as proper disinfectants are used. They also do not require the facilities to notify parents.
The D.P.H. guidelines also state that teachers or students with MRSA can remain in facilities as long as they're being treated and any wounds are covered up.
In a statement, The Kids Place says it consulted with the Department of Public Health on Monday for guidance in handling the situation and the cleanup of the building. "We feel confident that we have followed all the proper procedures in dealing with this situation," according to the statement.
The company also pointed out that it received word of a possible MRSA case on Friday, but did not receive confirmation from a doctor's note until Sunday.
The company says several staff members, including the facility's director, are no longer with them as a result of this situation. Parents tell NBC Connecticut they quit.
Dianne Norton says she's now looking for other child care options. "I'm very upset with corporate. I think they could have handled the situation better," said Norton.
Nicole Miller says she pulled her daughter out of the facility. "I feel as if my tuition dollars should go to the type of clean environment that's safe for my daughter and if they're not going to do that I don't feel comfortable with having her there," said Miller.
