By Hannah King
Staff Writer
Union’s Jackson campus was closed for 44 hours last week because of a severe stomach virus outbreak.
Director of Health Services Paul Mayer said 300 on-campus students were affected, leaving the campus a ghost town from noon Feb. 11 until 8 a.m. Feb. 13.
Everything from the library and the Wellness Center to the Bowld Commons and Barefoots Joe was closed to encourage what Mayer called “social distancing.”
Shortly after the campus shut down, Gene Hunt, director of housekeeping supervisor and facilities management, directed a host of workers from RAs to housekeeping staff on how to disinfect main campus buildings with Clorox wipes and bleach.
When asked the official name of the virus, Mayer said, “At this point we don’t know. What we’re trying to do is collect vomit or diarrhea samples to send to a state laboratory so they can determine exactly what it is. So right now it is viral gastroenteritis [regular stomach virus].”
He suggested that where people gather in clusters, the virus could be a “norovirus” because it “causes those sudden outbreaks in closed quarters. The good news is the acute symptoms only last a day, and the acute symptoms are frequent vomiting and diarrhea.”
The patient carries the virus two days before and two days after he is sick.
Different from the stomach virus, the flu, a viral infection of the respiratory system, also is a significant issue.
Mayer reported that more than 120 students on campus have had the flu over the course of the past five weeks.
“The best way to protect yourself is to get a flu shot — period,” Mayer said. “Keep your hands clean. Don’t touch your face with your hands. Use hand sanitizer. Wash your hands.”
Some of the symptoms can be prevented by a flu shot. He said it is impossible to get the flu from a flu shot.
