More Mainstream Media Madness

As a further example of media stupidity - I submit the recent stories
concerning MRSA. I work with this stuff everyday of my life in my
profession and recently have undergone major back surgery.

Background:
You can get a good description of Methicillin Resistant Staph Aureus
on the CDC site and WEBMD site. Over the course of time, Bacteria and
fungi will develop resistance to antibiotics and antifungal agents -
it's called evolution. It's a constant and continuing war with
microbiologists (and yes I was required to take several courses prior
to my BSN and licensing) to keep up with these bugs. Viral infections
are completely different and such agents have NO impact on a virus.
MRSA was first noted around 1961 and has become progressively more
widespread. Staph Aureus is found freely in nature and, quite frankly,
it's part of the normal flora found on human skin and nasal passages
(some estimates say 30% but it's actually higher than that). If it
gets into an open wound, it can and will cause an infection. For
years, the drugs of choice were "cillins" - gram + antibiotics. Due to
"over prescription" of these drugs, resistance grew. A strain
developed that was resistant to these specific drugs. However, the
body's normal immune system would still react properly and we have
many other drug treatment options. With 99% of the MRSA + hospital
population, there are no problems. It used to be that MRSA was
generally spread within a hospital but that has changed with community
acquired MRSA. A problem DOES occur when a person has an impaired
immune system. If the body's responses are inadequate then the
infection can spread with fairly amazing speed. It's critical that
MRSA is identified quickly so that no time is wasted in treatment but
we can and do treat it on a regular basis. To my knowledge, my
hospital has had no sentinel events involving in the 3 years I've
worked there. The single biggest factor for avoiding MRSA is daily
hygiene and frequently washing your hands. It reacts like dirt to soap
and water.

MSM reaction.
The news media has gone bonkers on this bug despite it being 40+ years
old. Recently a high school student died from MRSA in Virginia. How
did the MSM and politician's react?
Well, there is absolutely no way to completely rid anything of this
germ. The genie is out of the bag it will not go back in. Rather than
emphasizing and stating the facts and recommending the normal hygiene
procedures, they closed 21 schools for disinfection (impossible to
accomplish). No impact except spending tax dollars - absolutely
insane. The MSM basically likes to generate panic to sell papers etc.
The next time they start in on something like Global Warming, MRSA,
Yellowstone erupting, Asteroids slamming the Earth etc.etc. (I can't
go through satellite TV w/o some scare routine, take time to put it
perspective and say "NO" to panic.

PS: Next MSM topic "Duke Lacrosse"