UHS Sees Rise in Common Illnesses

More than the usual number of Harvard students are seeking help from UHS for illnesses ranging from the common cold to gastroenteritis, according to University Health Services (UHS) Director Dr. David S. Rosenthal '59.

Although no numbers were available to compare this year's student use rate with those of previous years, Rosenthal said he felt certain more students than ever were coming down sick.

Rosenthal said one key reason for this phenomenon is students' increasing disregard for Hygiene in their daily lives.

"The warning is out for students to keep up their hygiene," he said. "People need to wash hands as a precautionary measure. The little things go a long way."

Rosenthal said the illnesses could also be caused by seasonal changes in temperature.

"When the weather changes like this, it is not uncommon to see things like colds more often," he said.

Exacerbating the spread of viruses is the housing arrangement on campus, students say.

Lisa A. Faiman '02 and Sasha A. Haines-Stiles' '02, roommates in Wigglesworth, said all five people in their room have suffered from colds, fevers, sore throats and the like in the last couple of weeks.

Although their symptoms were not too pronounced, Faiman and Haines Stiles say their illnesses also affected several neighboring rooms.

"It's like the domino theory," Kristan Siqueiros '02, who also suffered a cold in the past few weeks, said.

"We've living in such close quarters that when one person comes down with something, a whole dorm can get sick."

According to a fact list posted on allernet.com, the average cold lasts for 6.4 days. Should a sickness persist for more than a week, an allergen or something more serious could be the culprit.

Erin R. Leonard '02 said that not only have a large number of her dorm mates come down with colds or coughs but that some of them have even become infected for a second time.

"The epidemic is re-circulating now," she said. "I guess the dorm setting is pretty conducive to spreading disease."

Rosenthal said that to combat the further spread of germs, Harvard Dining Services has been instructed to pay close attention to the cleanliness of dishware, dining halls and food. Such steps can be vital in preventing widespread illness, he said.

Leonard agreed that dirty hands and doorknobs can be responsible for the spread of common illnesses.

"I've bought some disinfectant," she said. "That will be my line of defense."

However, some sick students say they decided to cure themselves rather than turn to UHS for help.

"I wasn't interested in sitting in line for hours so they could tell me to take some medicine that I could buy myself," Allon S. Kedem '02 said.

"I took care of it myself, though I was seriously sick for a week," Leonard said.

Jonathan A. Yang '02, who came down with a high fever and excessive drowsiness of Tuesday, said his illness caused him to miss his first class since fourth grade.

"I had the worst fever," Yang said.