Heather McClellan

Review staff writer

With the arrival of fall, the campus has experienced a rise in the number of reported illnesses.
“This time of year, we see many cases of cold and flu,” Christina Ries, coordinator of health promotion and student wellness, said. “Lately, there has also been strep throat and 24/48-hour stomach viruses going around. A lot of students are taking time out of class to rest.”
In addition to the normal cold and flu, one case of impetigo has been reported, a bacterial skin infection that causes red sores that can be spread through close contact. It can usually be treated with antibiotic ointment or pills.
“We are most likely to get sick when it is least convenient,” Patricia Haddeland, coordinator and nurse practitioner for the health center, said. “That’s why a lot of people get sick around mid-terms. When your stress level goes up, you are more likely to let slide one of the immunity-boosting activities; sleep is usually the first to go.”
Colds usually go away after seven to 10 days. If a cold does not go away by then, students should go to the health center to be checked out and to ensure the illness does not develop into an infection, Ries said.
“A lot of respiratory infections start out seeming like a cold,” Susan Chambers, adjunct professor of prevention and control of disease, said. “But if they do not go away after 10 days, it could be something more serious, like meningitis.”
The flu is also a respiratory virus and has many cold-like symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and chills.
“To help prevent getting the flu, you should get a flu shot,” Haddeland said.
Flu shots were already offered on campus, but one can normally get them at any major pharmacy.
“The biggest thing you can do to prevent getting sick is to wash your hands,” Ries said. “It is one of the easiest ways to help prevent the spread of disease.”
You should wash your hands before you eat, when you come back into buildings, after blowing your nose and coughing, Ries said.
“If you are unable to wash your hands, you should use baby wipes or hand sanitizer to get the germs off your hands,” Chambers said. “But the best thing to get rid of germs is to wash your hands using soap and water.”
In addition to hand washing, you should keep your stress levels low, have normal sleeping patterns, eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise, Haddeland said.
If you get a cold, one of the best things you can do is to try to not expose the people around you, Chambers said.
If you think you are getting sick, there are fliers available in the health center with tips about how to treat your symptoms.