Carson Bonner, Campus Carrier news editor

The return to campus from winter break always welcomes a slew of illnesses. Whether it be COVID-19, the flu, the common cold or even a mysterious unidentifiable cough; sickness on campus is a recurring problem.

            A common trend this semester has been a virus that does not show up on strep tests, COVID-19 tests or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) tests. According to junior Audra Berends, her symptoms began fairly normal and seemed to indicate the flu. However, this was not the case. 

            “It started out with fever and aches,” Berends said. “There is actually nothing worse than a fever. That was awful. So I had that for 2 days and then it was nausea and gastrointestinal issues. Once I got over the fever, I was hungry again but I couldn’t eat anything because everything sounded awful to me. Like crackers made me nauseous to think about. So I ate jello for two days.”

            Berends went through a drive-through testing site and was tested for COVID-19, Flu A and B and RSV. All the tests came back negative, so she had no idea how to treat her illness or what medications to take. 

            “I was disappointed,” Berends said. “I just wanted to know what I had and move on [from being sick], but the nurses told us tamiflu, [a flu medicine,] is kind of useless because it only shortens the flu by maybe a day, so I wouldn’t have taken meds if it had been the flu anyway.”

            RSV has had an increased number of cases the past six months. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued a warning in Sept. 2023 that cases in the southeastern U.S. had drastically increased and that preventative measures should be taken. In Dec. 2023, a chart published by the CDC indicated that RSV may have peaked and was headed toward a decrease. RSV symptoms typically present like the flu or common cold. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms include shallow breathing, congested or runny nose, a dry cough, low-grade fever, sneezing and headaches. Oftentimes, individuals with these symptoms will assume it is a cold and will not treat themselves for RSV, which for infants and people 60 and older can be fatal.

            In terms of prevention, the best way is by practicing cleanliness, washing your hands, staying up to date on vaccines and avoiding people who are sick. According to Health Center Assistant Director Melanie Merrin, the staff encourage students to get a yearly flu vaccine, as well as any other vaccines recommended by CDC. The flu vaccine significantly lowers the risk of flu illness. Even when the vaccine does not completely prevent flu, it can lessen the length and severity of symptoms. Flu vaccines are safe and cannot cause the flu.

            “We typically notice an uptick in sick visits following any school break,” Merrin said. “One reason being that over breaks students often spend time in settings where illnesses are easily spread, such as airports or crowded family gatherings. The best thing you can do to prevent illness is wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.”

            Even though someone may follow every precaution, it is still possible to get sick. Knowing how to treat the illness and symptoms can make being sick more manageable and less taxing physically. 

“There is no cure for colds or flu,” Merrin said. “Treatment revolves around supportive care and symptom relief.  While your immune system works to fight off a virus it is important to rest and drink lots of water.  Over the counter cold medications, cough drops and throat lozenges can be used as directed to provide temporary relief from symptoms that can be uncomfortable.  For body aches, headache or fever, take acetaminophen or ibuprofen.  Saline nasal spray can help with nasal congestion.”

            New strains of COVID-19 become more prevalent every day but treatments for these strains remain almost the same, as well as the way they spread. According to Mirren, avoiding crowded environments, especially those with people who may be ill, can be a big factor in preventing the contraction of COVID-19 or any of its variants. 

            “COVID-19 is spread in the same way as any other respiratory virus, person to person by small droplets from sneezes or coughs or contact with contaminated surfaces,” Mirren said. “So general cold prevention is helpful to prevent illness. Risk of spread is greatly increased in situations where there are a lot of people in close proximity, especially indoors. Avoiding crowds is one way to limit your chance of exposure.Following current CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19 vaccine series and boosters helps reduce the risk of developing serious complications of COVID-19.”

            COVID-19 can cause lasting effects even after someone tests negative. Berends had COVID-19 and dealt with chronic migraines for two months after she had it. She also visited a cardiologist and was told she presented with symptoms of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a condition that causes an increase in heart rate and can cause lightheadedness and fainting. According to a study performed by the UT Southwestern Medical Center, 2-14% of patients with COVID-19 later are diagnosed with POTS. Research is still being conducted to establish the reason for the connection. 

            According to Berends, cleanliness has taken a bit of a backseat and needs to be more of a priority to keep people healthy and protected from illness.

            “I think we need to be more like germaphobes,” Berends said. “We need to do things like hand sanitizer before eating, washing hands when I get back from class, not sharing food or drinks, generally not being close to people like hugging. We need to prioritize cleanliness like we did when Covid was going on.”