Viruses, including the common cold and stomach bugs, are floating through the air this winter. Some students are taking extra steps to protect themselves, including Joy Jung, a senior communication sciences and disorders major.
“In the cold, I’m wearing scarves and masks and hats to warm up,” Jung said. “I work in a hospital, so it’s really easy to catch something. Also bought a lot of oranges and citrus for vitamin C to help the immune system.”
During the winter months, germs and viruses are because of people gathering in large groups indoors with a lack of ventilation. Some common illnesses are norovirus, influenza and strep throat. Last year, norovirus also spread on campus through food that was possibly contaminated with the virus.
According to the CDC, there were of norovirus during the first week of December 2024. To avoid getting sick, Charles Guthrie, the executive director of student health centers, encourages students to monitor their symptoms, hydrate and isolate.
“Students should avoid attending classes, events or social gatherings to prevent spreading germs to others,” Guthrie said. “Ensuring adequate rest and drinking plenty of fluids can help support recovery. If symptoms are severe or persistent, the student should visit the or consult a healthcare provider.”
Guthrie encourages students to follow and, if they do get sick, to utilize .
“Student Health offers multiple resources including health practitioners, health screenings, vaccines and a ,” Guthrie said. “Additionally, the University provides the University and the non-student community with access to vaccines and health screenings. There is hand sanitizer in high traffic areas.”
Some students think that restrictions have eased a surprising amount after the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarvesh Senguttuvan, a first-year bioengineering major, feels that preventing germs is “definitely not as strict as it used to be.”
“I still make sure to wash my hands after touching stuff that’s not mine, but I’m not really, like, masking anymore,” Senguttuvan said.
Respiratory infections are another common illness that affect people during the winter season due to dry air and viral survival rates. According to , over 16% of emergency room visits were for symptoms of respiratory infections, including strep throat, pneumonia and bronchitis.
Around campus, students may notice their peers coughing and sniffling, amongst other symptoms, around the flu season. Guthrie cited seasonal changes, stress and shared spaces for the rise of infections on college campuses.
“Students often have high levels of stress, late-night study sessions and irregular sleep patterns, which can weaken their immune systems and make them more susceptible to illnesses,” Guthrie said. “Students also frequently share items like textbooks, computers, lab equipment and communal spaces like bathrooms or kitchens, which can all harbor germs.”
Some students, including Efma Navid, a first-year in the pre-pharmacy program, are not worried about getting sick during the winter months.
“I’ve heard on social media some silly jokes and comments about things like norovirus,” Navid said. “I did look into it, like, what it actually is, and if it’s spread here or whatever, but I don’t feel too worried, because everyone went through COVID a few years ago.”
Sharing communal bathrooms and living in close quarters can make it difficult to protect yourself, according to Jung. She thinks people need to take extra precautions in dorm environments to prevent the spread of germs since, as a senior who lives off-campus, she has found it easier to stay healthy.
“On campus, people are very condensed,” Jung said. “Some people are kind of gross and don’t always pay attention. I’ve seen a lot of people not wash their hands after the bathroom. Some people just need to be more aware of healthy and clean living”.
Guthrie recommends that students wash their hands regularly, stay home if they are able to when they are sick, mask in public places and stay current on their vaccines.