Students receiving the meningococcal vaccine in Alumni Hall yesterday praised the College's ability to disseminate information about the recent cases of the disease on campus and did not express much concern about contracting the infection.
They said BlitzMail messages sent to all members of the Dartmouth community, as well as the letter sent via overnight mail to all students planning to be on campus for the Summer term, helped provide information and alleviate fears.
The letter, dated June 18, told students that while there is no medical reason for sophomores not to enroll for the usually mandatory Summer term, the residency requirement would be waived for concerned students.
Acting Dean of the College Dan Nelson, who signed the letter, told The Dartmouth that "maybe five to six students" have opted not to come to Hanover for the summer because of the threat of contracting a meningococcal infection. All students interviewed by The Dartmouth said their friends are returning for the term.
Amanda Cook '01 said she had friends who considered not coming to school, but then "they sat down and thought about it and realized they didn't want to miss sophomore summer."
Sophomore Darby Green said when she opened the letter, she was "impressed the College went and Fed-Exed us, and also gave us a way out if you were scared."
Cook thought the letter, and also Nelson's BlitzMail information updates, showed that the College was "very conscientious and concerned."
Students had varying levels of knowledge about the disease, even with the information sent out by the College. Sophomores Dan Hu and Sarah Fox said they had been aware of the disease before, and had read about its increasing prevalence on college campuses on the Internet.
However, Hu said he was not very worried about getting sick, given that he knows about the symptoms and is aware of how to identify any problems.
Peter Barros '01 said he does not know a lot about the disease, but he is not afraid of catching it. He said his mother, however, was worried when she received news of the health problems at the College.
Students said parental concerns about the infection were common, especially since Nelson's letter was mailed overnight. "My parents said 'wow, oh God, what's going on at Dartmouth?'" Hu said.
Dr. Nield Mercer of the College Health Service said many parents - some whose children are not registered for the Summer term - have called with questions since the news broke. He said they asked if their child should receive the vaccine or the prophylaxis Cipro, since their children will not be on campus for the vaccination clinic.
Mercer said the College plans to administer 1,400 vaccines for members of the community who will be here for the summer. In only the first two hours of administration, 300 students had already received the shot.
Most students said they were not planning to be inoculated when the news first broke, but with the shot available through the free clinics, they decided to receive it.
Green said her parents also actively urged her to get the vaccine.
