Academy Responds to Widespread Sickness

Ellen Jin / The Exonian

By CARRIE-ANNE CHAN, AUDREY KIM, JINMIN LEE, JAYDEN OH, HANNAH REN, AVA TRUONG and ANDREW YANG

    It’s 8 a.m., and a long line of coughing students wait in the lobby of the Lamont Health and Wellness Center. In the classroom, students frequently reach for the Kleenex box to blow their noses and keep their masks on during Harkness discussions. On Sept. 7th, Health Services sent an email encouraging students to vaccinate against the flu. A few weeks into the fall term, student sickness is rising on campus.

    Many students have been experiencing cold symptoms such as coughs, sore throat, congestion, and a mild fever. The Lamont Health Center provides free testing for COVID-19, flu, and strep throat. Most have a common cold spreading across campus, and few have tested positive for COVID-19 or the flu. Though a spike in student sickness a few weeks into the fall term isn’t uncommon, health professionals recommend that students take precautions to protect the Exeter community.

    Cold symptoms varied from coughing to nausea, making it challenging for students to keep up with their work. “I have a sore throat, a headache, I’ve been coughing, and I’m pretty congested,” shared upper Gene Sunthornrangsri. “It makes it really hard to participate in Harkness discussions.”

    Prep Adrian Cass said, “I’ve had a mild cough, stuffy nose, sore throat, and mild fever.”

    “I had a sore throat at first, then congestion. The cold is especially frustrating at Exeter since it interferes with schoolwork,” said lower Grant Blitz.

    A rise in sickness is not uncommon during this time of the year,” explained Medical Director Derek Trapasso. “It is not an uncommon number of students getting sick because this happens yearly. Viral respiratory infections—such as having mild fever and sore throat—happen more often as the weather gets colder and students become more reluctant to open the windows, limiting air circulation.”

    Senior Thomas Hoey said, “A trend that I’ve seen through my time here at Exeter is that, at the beginning of each term, an increased amount of people are sick.”

    “It’s not a surprising number of sick students,” Advanced Practice Provider Rebecca Fisher said. “But students can protect themselves by eating well, getting adequate sleep, and washing their hands thoroughly. Regarding nutrition, I would suggest students use the salad bar at Elm Street since it has many foods that benefit the immune system.”

    “It sounds a bit cliché, but ensure that you have a balanced, healthy diet to prevent illness,” agreed Trapasso. “Make sure your body is at its peak efficiency, including staying hydrated and having enough vitamins and minerals. If you do feel sick, make sure to protect others by wearing a mask.”

    Students shared worries that the health center would be unhelpful and take away their studying time. “People aren’t afraid of going to the health center; it just takes too long. They would just give me over-the-counter medicine, and I would have to wait an hour for it. If anything, they should be able to hand out medicine at the front desk to save time,” shared upper Ezra Segal.

    Prep Maeve Clinger agreed, “I would prefer not to stay in long waiting lines, and I want to be able to do all of my homework and be in my classes instead of losing time at the Health Center.”

    “I think the reason why people hesitate to go to the Health Center is because of the long waiting times, which takes a large chunk out of your day,” reflected Senior Roy Liu. “Also, there isn’t much the Health Center can do for you, especially for the common cold. Of course, it’s not their fault. I’ve been caring for myself by sleeping more and eating well.”

    On the contrary, some students have also gone to the health center and have found it helpful. “They gave me a saltwater gargle, Advil, and cough drops,” explained Prep Daniel Kim. “I think it expedited the process and helped me through the sickness.”

    Trapasso reminds students to come to the Health Center if sickness continues: “If sickness has been persisting or you feel like you are too sick to get through your day of classes, then you should come to see the health professionals at the Health Center so that we can find out if your sickness needs any additional medical treatment or testing.”

    The seasonal sickness affected many students, often making school work difficult. Doctors and experts recommend that students care for their health by washing their hands, eating well, and getting enough sleep. Although some students avoided going to the Health Center, others found the treatment helpful and should go to the Health Center if sickness persists. Student illness affects everyone on campus, and being mindful and taking precautions will help students protect others.