Despite concerns about the spread of the H1N1 virus, College officials said they are not planning to cancel any Homecoming events. Instead, College officials will continue to encourage students to practice good hygiene and to isolate themselves should they become sick, according to College Health Services director John Turco.
Dartmouth typically follows recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services when determining how to respond to outbreaks such as H1N1, Turco said. Neither group has recommended that institutions cancel events that draw large crowds such as those planned for this weekend.
Although large numbers of people will be travelling from out of town to Dartmouth for Homecoming weekend, the virus has become so widespread throughout the country that there is little reason to limit contact with people from outside the college community, Turco said. Turco added that since there has not been a significant increase in illnesses following previous Homecoming weekends, Dick's House staff has little reason to believe that the College will see a major rise in the number of influenza-type illnesses such as H1N1 after this year's festivities.
Still, Turco stressed that students with flu-like symptoms need to remain isolated this weekend.
"If you're sick you should miss all of Homecoming," Turco said. "It's more important for you to get better and to isolate yourself so you don't infect others."
The College Health Service will continue its aggressive approach to promoting good hygiene and distributing information about the virus around campus, Turco said, although he said that he does not expect that the College's health policies will change during Homecoming.
"It's nothing different than what we're doing now," he said.
Additional staff have already been hired to help manage the H1N1 virus, Charley Bradley, the nursing director for Dick's House, said.
Greek organizations have not announced any plans to change or cancel social events they have scheduled for Homecoming.
Ian Rorick '10, social chair of Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity, said that Chi Gam will not be taking any further precautions due to concerns about swine flu.
Rorick is a member of The Dartmouth senior business staff.
Members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity plan to purchase more cups to ensure that students at their events do not have to share cups, according to social chair Kyle Nicholas '11, who said such efforts have always been Sig Ep's policy and are not a response to H1N1. Fraternity members do not plan to police whether students are sharing cups, according to several social chairs interviewed by The Dartmouth.
While a few fraternities have become more cautious about ensuring that the cups are changed between pong games, Aaditya Talwai '13 said that most do not seem concerned.
Talwai said he only makes a point of switching cups when others ask him to do so.
Hand sanitizer will be made available during College events hosted by the Office of Alumni Relations, according to vice president for Alumni Relations David Spalding '76. The office does not currently have any other plans for special accommodations.
Because neither the state nor the CDC have recommended the cancellation of crowded events, Alumni Relations officials feel comfortable going ahead with the events they have planned, Spalding said.
No visitors have expressed concerns, to the best of his knowledge, about coming to the College because of the H1N1 outbreak.
Kevin Xiao contributed to the reporting of this article.
