As students return to campus for the second semester, so do pesky illnesses. As local illness rates rise, the KSC Wellness Center looks to keep students informed on how to prevent a sniffly start to the semester.
Nurse Practitioner Anaka Nunnink, explains that the rise in illness rates is expected with this time of year.
“Anytime people congregate we’ll typically see spikes of illnesses,” Nunnink said. “Holiday season in general whether it’s Thanksgiving or Superbowl Sunday.”
Nunnink continued, describing the types of illnesses on the rise.
“We’re seeing a lot of everything right now,” Nunnink said. We’ve had cases of Covid and it’s not just on campus. I have friends who work in family medicine and in the community itself and we’re seeing a lot of influenza – primarily Influenza A, Norovirus, and Strep.”
Illnesses are common this time of year, but not unavoidable. According to Nunnink, the two best ways to prevent these illnesses are a combination of proper and consistent hand hygiene and wearing a mask in public spaces – especially in the more populated places on campus.
Nunnink noted that not all illnesses are created equally and some require more specific preventative measures.
She said, “With the Norovirus you have to wash your hands with soap, so hand sanitizer doesn’t work for that one.”
Nunnink continued, “Try not to share things, like beverages, chapsticks, meals and vape pens, things like that.”
Nunnink also stressed the importance of using the wellness center as the resource that it is, not just as a place to treat your illness, but as an educational opportunity.
“Please know that we’re here, you don’t have to be at death’s door to come see us. Even if you want to come and talk to us about what medication helps for different symptoms before you go to the pharmacy and spend hundreds of dollars,” said Nunnink.
She concluded, “We try to do more teaching rather than just telling [students] what to do, because this is a college so hopefully when you leave here you can know what to do in these situations.”
Parker Bartlett can be contacted at
pbartlett@kscequinox.com
