NewsDodgers on watch for swine flu
Team already vigilant against contagious diseasesBy Ken Gurnick / MLB.com
04/28/09 10:30 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO -- The swine flu scare hasn't caused any panic in the Dodgers clubhouse, but head athletic trainer Stan Conte monitors news reports because he's seen how viruses can be passed from one player to another when so many spend so much time together in close quarters."Obviously, it's a concern," said Conte. "There's always a certain percentage who get the flu and this variation is more contagious. We carry the medication they recommend and if one of our people gets sick, we'll get them to a physician."
Conte said players are educated during Spring Training about contagious diseases and the clubhouse conditions that make ballclubs susceptible to outbreaks.
"The main prevention is hand washing to prevent the spread of germs," he said. "You can't go 10 feet in the clubhouse without seeing hand sanitizer, and the players are really in tune with that. When you read about swine flu, one of the biggest preventions is hand washing.
"And from a reactive standpoint, nothing is considered run of the mill. If someone with us has any symptoms, they'll be seen by a doctor and get it diagnosed."
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
