Hand Foot Mouth Disease Spreads Across The Academy

With 25 reported cases of HFMD (Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease) at PEA, members of the Academy community say they wish they’d heard more about the virus and its symptoms from the Lamont Health and Wellness Center.Due to the virus, as well as other contagious illnesses such as the common cold, the Health Center was packed for several days last week, and some students whose families live nearby were asked to have their parents to pick them up.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HFMD is a viral illness that usually affects children who are five years old or younger, but sometimes infects adults and young adults.Medical Director of the Lamont Health and Wellness Center Myra Citrin said that the virus “is considered only moderately contagious, and is spread by saliva, nasal secretion, fluid from the blisters, as well as via the fecal-oral route.” “HFMD is generally a benign, self-limited virus characterized by fever, sore throat and a rash involving the palms, soles and sometimes other body parts. It lasts only three to five days, our strain seems to last three,” Citrin said. “Infected students did stay in the Health Center until they felt better.”Senior Liz Hoover said that students are reacting to a virus that is seemingly benign with unnecessary paranoia. She noted that students treat those who are infected by the virus in a hysterical way. “Like everyone else, I am really hoping I don't get HFMD. But the main reason I don't want to get it isn't the pain or discomfort or anything,” Hoover said. “For me it's mostly people treating you like you have leprosy. I figure if I am going to get it there's nothing I can do, so I see no reason to treat people that had it last week as if they are poisonous.”Citrin echoed Hoover’s sentiments and listed the possible reasons why students may be extremely afraid of the virus.“HFMD is much less debilitating than the flu. Possibly the visible rash is more disturbing to kids. Or, possibly, some students have read about the very rare complications associated with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. Similar complications are associated with many, many viruses, but fortunately these complications are very rare. I have never seen a serious complication of HFMD in my 35 years in pediatrics, but they do exist,” Citrin said.Citrin also added that there are other illnesses spreading on campus, which might be