Twenty-three Davidson College students have been diagnosed recently with Type A influenza, but most cases have been mild, college officials said this afternoon.
“Their fevers broke quickly, and several of these individuals have already been diagnosed as well enough to return to classes and regular activities,” Dean of Students Tom Shandley said in a letter today to students, faculty and staff. "Instead of the initial seven days that was forecasted, we have found that the full recovery has come in 3-5 days.”
The students had all gone to the college's health center because they had such flu-like symptoms as fever, body aches, runny or stuffy noses, sore throats, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, Shandley said.
The college has an emergency flu plan based on federal guidelines that call for ill individuals to be isolated from the rest of the community. Ill Davidson College students who live in a single room are allowed to stay there and self-isolate, Shandley said. They must wear masks whenever they have to leave the room, but meals are delivered and they are kept isolated from others on the hall, he said.
Ill students who share a room are moved to two large dormitory lounges with separate showers and HVAC systems. Meals are delivered to the rooms by workers from the college's Dining Services, and staff check on the students throughout the day, Shandley said.
Students who test positive for the flu are prohibited from attending class until cleared by the Student Health Center, generally after they have been free of fever for 24 hours and/or their symptoms begin to abate, he said.
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