Tissues are everywhere. Students are coughing and sneezing. It’s cold season again, and college campuses are the perfect place for germs to thrive.

Winter is the time of year when tissues and thermometers sit within close reach and students
are cooped up inside. Last Thursday and Saturday, the health center was completely full of sick students seeking a solution.

“We get a bunch of students from all over bringing things in. With the closeness that comes from shaking hands and staying indoors during the change of season, it is typical for these things to flourish. Everyone has a different immunity,” said Dr. Ben Rodriguez.   According to statistics from October, 383 first-years, 308 sophomores, 196 juniors and 218 seniors visited the health center. These numbers are consistent with numbers from past years.

Those students who live in residence halls are in close contact with each other and therefore are prone to disease. According to Ellen Collette, director of the health center, the majority of these cases are respiratory infections, such as viral bronchitis, viral sinusitis, strep throat and mononucleosis.

The typical cold lasts between seven days and three weeks, so sometimes students come in with the same cold more than once.   Viruses are the most common for patients of the health center. Students typically come in to the health center expecting an antibiotic that will make them feel better, but antibiotics do not treat viruses.

“Students don’t want to hear it, but we can’t keep handing out antibiotics all the time,” said Collette. “Much of the time we can tell students what’s going on, give them support and clear them from class, but we usually only give out antibiotics when they have a bacterial
infection.”

Taking antibiotics when the infection is not bacterial can cause side effects such as diarrhea, headaches, rashes, vomiting and weakening of the immune system. There are a lot of home remedies that can
help cold symptoms that are not bacterial infections. To treat a sore throat, gargle warm salt water. For a stuffy nose, use saline solution. For a fever, take a sponge bath.   Drinking water also helps alleviate many
symptoms, as does rest.

“Go to sleep,” said Collette. “When students are sleep deprived, their immune systems goes
kaput. Eat healthy food, go to sleep on time.   Students still have to do the common sense stuff that gets set aside sometimes when students are trying to have an academic and social life.”

When a student is sick, following illness etiquette will help prevent the sickness from spreading. The resident halls are incubators for viruses, and when you are sick it is common courtesy to try to avoid giving it to others.

“If you’re coughing really bad, don’t sit next to people. Don’t share beverages. If you have a fever, don’t go to class. If you’re coughing a lot, come to the health center. We will always help students. If students are careful, they’re not necessarily going to get everyone sick,” said Collette. As a general rule, Collette says that if a fever is at 100 degrees, then the student is contagious.   When one is sick, their immune system kicks
up their metabolism. However, fevers are not the only way to establish sickness.

At the beginning of the year, the health center hands out thermometers to all first-years to help students gauge their health.   Nonethe- less, if a student doesn’t feel like they can get up in the morning, they should come to the health center.

“It’s really stressful being sick right now, instead of concentrating on school. I’m constantly distracted,” said first-year Geni Venable.   Holiday season is also really bad for sickness.   Influenza starts in the eastern United States around the holidays because it gets colder earlier.

During winter break, the number of people traveling equalizes the illness and spreads it over the states.   Collette encouraged students who have not yet received flu shots to get them now. Influenza can last all the way through April, but once the weather starts warming up people don’t get the common cold as often.   Before this relieving time of year when the warm weather comes back, being in class is sometimes more difficult for students who get sick.

The sick policy for professors is different for each. Some are more lenient than others.

“I expect you to come to every class unless you are ill or participating in an authorized
Whitman activity. If you are on a team or will be away from campus on particular days, please
inform me during the first week of the semester.   If you do miss class for any reason, you are still
responsible for the material covered while you are absent. Please be sure to get the notes from
a classmate,” said Professor of English Theresa DiPasquale. “I enforce this policy by requiring students who miss class due to illness to report to the Health Center, which then issues an email confirming their situation.”

“I think we always do our best to accommodate students who are sick or otherwise unable to attend class or meet deadlines,” said Professor and Chair of Religion Department Jon Walters.