Cold weather breeds germs, viruses

Cold weather has arrived and with the seasonal and temperature changes, sickness has also begun to plague college students.

Sinus infections and upper respiratory tract infections are the most common ailments emerging this season, with bronchitis following behind, Andrew Singer, allergist and immunologist at Allergy & Asthma Affiliates in Alcoa, said.

Colder temperatures force students inside, often restricting them to the crowded environments of dorms and apartments. The lack of fresh air and exposure to germs and viruses lurking indoors can lead to increased sensitivity to sickness, which causes or magnifies season-specific illnesses.

“One (problem) is that people start spending more time inside, and they live closer together so that’s when all the viruses begin to become a problem,” Singer said. “The other thing with the change in seasons is that you see a lot more mold, and people who are allergic to mold have more problems with sinus infections and wheezing and asthma.”

On campus in particular, Student Health Services Clinic has been treating an increased number of patients with gastro-intestinal problems, fevers and diarrhea, which Rosa Thomas, wellness coordinator for Student Health Services, attributes to poor diet and poor sanitary health.

“(Students) eat after one another, … and sometimes when people sneeze, they don’t sneeze on their shoulder,” Thomas said. “They sneeze onto their hands, and they don’t wipe their hands afterwards. And then you’re coming in contact with those germs. It could be from, if you’re letting someone use your cell phone, the germs are there.”

Laurie Tabachnick, sophomore in art education, is one student who fell victim to sickness as the seasons changed. With symptoms of nausea and vomiting, Tabachnick learned from the clinic that she either had food poisoning or a 24-hour virus, which they told her are the most common things that college kids come down with, Tabachnick said.

“Actually, I had been spending more time indoors, which is why (my boyfriend) and I ordered that darn pizza,” Tabachnick said. “We didn’t feel like going out to get anything because it was so cold.”

Thomas said there are several steps students can take to prevent illness.

“If students get their rest and have a good diet and take a good multivitamin, that will take care of a lot of ailments,” Thomas said. “People don’t realize that sleep is such a wonderful thing to do because our body can heal itself a lot when it gets the proper rest.”

Singer encouraged students to take preventative measures, saying it was in his best interest to make sure people were getting treated properly so that they don’t get sicker.

“Hand washing is probably the biggest thing you can do to prevent from getting viral infections, so if your roommate or someone has a cold, for example, wash your hands a lot,” Singer said. “Anything in common that you touch — doorknobs, phones — would be worth cleaning.”

With flu season approaching, both Singer and Thomas advise students to be vaccinated for the flu.

“(The vaccine) not only protects you from the flu, it protects you so that if you do get the flu, it’s not as severe,” Thomas said. “And with finals coming up in about six weeks, students do not want to have the flu and have to study for finals.”