Though a new study has shown that the influenza virus favors cold weather, students on Dartmouth's frigid campus seem to have avoided the illness. If sales of over-the-counter medicines and the number of Dick's House appointments are any measure, however, other illnesses run rampant.
A team of scientists at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York found that the flu virus is most easily transmitted at cold temperatures and low humidity. These findings support the commonly held belief that there are more cases of the flu during the winter, specifically in the period between November and March in the northeastern United States.
Peter Palese, a microbiology professor at Mount Sinai, is the lead author of the study, which was published in the Oct. 19 edition of PLoS Pathogens.
The free flu vaccine clinics at Dartmouth, offered annually in October and November, were a success, Dartmouth's Director of Health Services John Turco said, with over 1,000 students and employees inoculated against the virus.
"We've actually only had one documented case of true influenza this winter," Turco said.
Each year, different strains of the flu virus make their way around the world. The flu strains usually originate in Asia, according to Turco. Government scientists decide which three strains of the virus to incorporate into the yearly flu vaccine six to eight months before flu season starts, which can lead to problems if the most virulent strain is not included.
"It's basically a guessing game for the government," Turco said.
Jeff Licht, a staff pharmacist at Dick's House, said there have been no prescriptions filled for flu medications this term, although he added that usually there is a period of a few weeks when the disease spreads rapidly throughout the campus.
The most commonly prescribed medications are decongestants and cough suppressants used to treat symptoms of the cold. Licht acknowledged that, apart from the vending machine in the basement of Dick's House, the College pharmacy does not have a very large over-the-counter selection.
Most drugs only treat symptoms and "are just going to make you feel a little bit better," he said. He later added that "some of them are just junk."
The prevalence of illness in the winter has made it difficult to get timely appointments at Dick's House, according to some students. On Jan. 28, the staff at Dick's House had to reschedule appointments because three care providers were out sick. This staff shortage has led to complaints among students about the inefficiency of campus health services.
"Sometimes it's a problem if you have a cold and you can only get an appointment three weeks later," Valerie Terranova '11 said.
Turco said Dick's House is sensitive to student complaints about the long wait for appointments, and the staff is trying to develop new initiatives to improve efficiency. A triage system and educational website are currently under development so that students can self-assess their illnesses and determine whether they need professional medical attention.
The increase in campus illnesses has also led students to seek their own remedies. Topside convenience store manager Todd Tattershall said there has been an increase in the sale of medications during Winter term.
Topside stocks cold and flu medicines more heavily in the winter to accommodate this increase in sales, Tattershall said.
Students and College officials identified a variety of factors on campus that lead to illness during the winter.
"I think that the public Blitz terminals are a real problem," Terranova said.
Kari Jo Grant, coordinator of health education programs, pointed to the Purell dispensers stationed throughout campus by Facilities, Operations and Management as a way the College is trying to prevent the outbreak of disease. Grant admits, however, that the placement of the antibacterial dispensers is inconsistent. She insists that a major factor in the spread of illness on campus is students' neglect of their personal health.
Some students also said the College should change its academic policies to reduce the spread of illness.
"Not to be outrageous, but people need the freedom to not go to class," Tanaka Mhambi '11 said. "We all pretend like [disease] is not contagious but it really is -- you know, stuff spreads."
The results of a 2005 survey posted throughout campus indicate that students report cold, flu or sore throat as the number one and "often avoidable" issue responsible for impeding academic performance.
"If you feel like crap, then you're not going to want to read Dante," Caroline Moore '11 said.
