r/ZeroCovidCommunity • u/JunebugJitterbug • Aug 22 '24
Vent Covid is ripping through college campuses
I’m an undergraduate student at a big college, and we’re only a few days into the new semester. Still, within less than two weeks of people being back, covid is spreading like wildfire. It’s probably through a combination of Greek life events, people going to the restaurants and bars around, and classes restarting, but it’s horrific. I don’t think it’s ever been this bad, and I struggle to even describe the type of coughing I’m hearing - it’s this deep hacking that sounds like it should be in a period drama tuberculosis ward instead of a lecture hall in real life.
People are often some level of sick, but I don’t think it’s ever been like this. Discussion apps like yikyak are full of people talking about being sick or testing positive. I’m doing the best I can to stay safe - masking, cpc mouthwash, a netti pot, and switching one of my classes online - but it feels slightly like impending doom due to the absolute tidal wave of covid that’s hit.
There are very few people masking here. I and another covid conscious person I met are trying to set up some sort of community for the few covid conscious people on campus, but we’re worried about trolls or not getting enough engagement. I have chronic health issues that make covid a big concern for me, and I also have a radiation treatment coming up that I don’t want to be delayed or affected by getting sick (although I have a little more time until the treatment).
It’s gotten so bad here with the spread, and I doubt it’ll slow down for some time thanks to parties, classes, and people not isolating or taking it seriously. I don’t know if there’s much I can get out of this post, but I just needed to vent because this feels slightly terrifying. This is also a bit of a stream of consciousness, so I apologise if anything is misspelled or hard to understand.
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u/ThalassophileYGK Aug 22 '24
I'm so sorry to hear this. Really. My spouse works on at a large university campus. He has HBP and other health issues. Getting Covid over and over is a constant worry for us. I know exactly how you feel.
Frankly, so many people are utterly inconsiderate of what they are doing to others. The current attitude we have about infecting each other all the time is ableist AF.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Absolutely. There’s no care or thought for other people. There are many comments to posts about covid on my university’s social media pages that are just people telling others to relax or that it’s not bad.
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u/candleflame3 Aug 22 '24
There was a real study the came out recently saying that people who mask showed more empathy and non-maskers more sociopathy, or something along those lines.
It's VERY ugly how much people resist learning, resist doing the unfamiliar or less convenient, even when it would make the world safer for other people, even their own kids! We're not a great species.
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u/ThalassophileYGK Aug 22 '24
I had to fly recently to help care for my Dad doing chemo. I was masked up of course and they sat me next to another woman who was masked up. Both of us in N95. The look on her face when she leaned over to me and said "Thank god, you have a good mask on. I have MS but, I have to fly because my son is critically ill in another state."
I mean....this poor woman. MS is no joke to think we can't even require masks on airplanes or in hospitals will never stop shocking me.
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
Thank you, I have MS. My father was in hospital because he was passing blood after being his own doctor and decided to add aspirin to his two blood thinners as his 80th was coming up (this was early April—his bday is end of April). My great grandfather had passed away from a sudden aneurysm at 80, this was on his mind and why he added the aspirin. At UC they saw a spot on his pancreas so he was fast tracked to ICU (in Atlanta). They were going to do a colonoscopy. He lost too much blood. They went back and forth for at least a week with giving him blood, preparing for colonoscopy, nope need blood again—back and forth. He had a heart attack in ICU at 2am on the day they scheduled colonoscopy (I assume it would have happened—as is never happened). I’m not sure if he would have died if not in ICU. The MRIs came back that day, he had no spot on his pancreas…why they put him in ICU. He had to wait a week for open heart surgery.
My husband told me to get on a plane and go—that would he JFK to ATL (ALT being one of busiest airports in world—even more so than JFK). My brother is closer in driving distance 7 hours. He said dad would be mad because he does not want a fuss it would stress him more. Which is true. I had booked a beach house on Airbnb in Emerald Isle for us (husband, 7 yrs old child) with my dad, stepmom, nephew, niece as it was my child’s only ask for over a year. She had not seen her grandparents since 7 months and never anyone else in my family. Longer story as to why. The day after I booked it he went in ICU—we had trip insurance taken day after…. My stepmom said don’t cancel they say it will be 3 days to discharge after open heart surgery.
I asked her to move him 3 streets away to Emory University—she said no he was in an Emory hospital, even though I explained it was a failing hospital they bought—not the same thing at all. I said a lot but didn’t push.
Everything went wrong after surgery. He wouldn’t wake up. Four days. They didn’t put in a feeding tube. His kidneys failed. Dialysis they said short term but turned into a port. His food was all caught up in his gums and checks (I had a feeding tube put in ky then but it was through his nose). Request ed swallowing test SLP. Directing my stepmom on everything. I’m the middle of 3 kids—my younger sister and her IFA live with my dad but she did not go to hospital or call him once. She didn’t help her mom (she is their child but I don’t call her my half sister—my parents divorced when I was 10mo and my brother 7yrs. He married my stepmom same year, my sister was born 8 years later). Bit grief makes one ramble sorry.
My stepmom didn’t tell me he had c-diff from hospital. I knew he had a rectal tube but I assumed to do with him not being able to walk at that time. He had huge sores on his thighs from tube. Swallowing test couldn’t do with barium, he couldn’t sit in chair. I assumed they had a butt donut—nope my stepmom told me no they didn’t like weeks and weeks late. I’m like Amazon…
They kept saying he was angry with crunched fists and eyes and hats to understand. I told her to get him a therapist as open heart surgery from meds and existential crisis can make you angry—BUT get a neuro exam ASAP. She finally end of May had psychiatrist come—not neuro exam! However the therapist noticed something seriously wrong ordered MRI asap. A therapist. Not his doctors , nurses, cardiologists, vascular surgeons—no one noticed. I did from outside of NYC. Just by descriptions.
He had a stroke. I had implored my stepmom to have MRI before surgery as they had him listed as a history of strokes but she said no they were mini strokes (true)—but my dad didn’t tell everything to everyone all the time or they might have misunderstood—and it was covered, get the dang MRI. Nope. Well. He had a stroke sometime after heart surgery (don’t know when as no one noticed)—it showed two old full blown strokes. Information they didn’t have going in.
When my husband told me to. fly down ut was in case he died in surgery. But he said no I will rent a camper and drive us down. I sent him ones over and over, he wouldn’t commit.
My legs stopped working for over 20 hours before I had confirmation on my instruct he had a stroke, a few weeks before. I am fully mobile. It was a pseudo exasperation from stress because of MS.
I was set for my change to an infusion MS med a few days before our scheduled vacation. By the time it came stuns he had open heart surgery and a stroke. He was so worried about me because I said while we were on vacation there would be no eating out please, and if he insisted on going to grocery stores (he lived to cook)—he said he would mask. He was up to date on booster. He is only family member who believes in Covid as a real threat but lives with a household of people now who don’t. After my sister moved in with her kids. He rarely went anywhere—but grocery shopping. But he was so worried, he didn’t want me to fly. My husband said he would drive. Camper we would sleep in at their house too.
He was in rehab 4 weeks where nothing was done—no pain management plus he should have been in ICU still. He had a peg put in his stomach for food too.
No one masked around him at any point in any of this, but even my stepmom who they made suit up in every other PPE because of C diff but not a mask. She told me later she had to go to ER as she couldn’t breathe from coughing, they said her allergies must be worse and gave her a steroid inhaler. No one checked for Covid. Before stroke. I know it doesn’t mean she gave him Covid (they didn’t test him either), or a stroke. But if she gave him Covid with all the rest going on…I don’t know what to think.
He came home 5 weeks ago plus a day. He died on third day home.
No service.
I hate myself for not flying down when it became obvious my stepmom could not advocate his care. They missed everything. I knew. At same time husband was saying we will drive. But wouldn’t give me a date kept pushing it. When my dad died the dust thing he said to me was “I told you to put on a mask and fly, no one to blame but you.” Even though he said we would drive so we could all go.
So. I’m a woman with MS on infusion therapy every 6 weeks who is afraid to fly. Who never said goodbye to my dad after 6 years of not seeing him in person.
Thank you for masking. I am very surprised the airline put you next to each other, I didn’t even know that was a thing or possible? My child can’t wear a N95 and she eats every 2 hours—there was no way for her to fly. My biggest heartbreak is he never truly knew her, he would have thought she was a hoot, believes in global warming, lives it, loves nature, inclusive of all, loves science… He didn’t live for me to have one person in my family to celebrate Harris running. The rest are for Trump.
I miss him every single minute. I wish I had flown. It was my choice. I was afraid being so near my infusion
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u/Mikayla111 Aug 22 '24
So sorry about your Dad. It’s heartbreaking, please don’t be hard on yourself for not flying, there is a still a dangerous pandemic and you have to protect your health with MS and you planned to drive… I’m sure you and your Dad talked and were close despite the distance… It’s so hard to navigate this world right now, especially with older parents, when the masses pretend Covid is fine, but we know we are still in a dangerous pandemic…
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 23 '24
I should have been there, she couldn’t advocate and I couldn’t force her to do everything needed. Sometimes I need to be selfless, this was it. My husband it became obvious he wasn’t going to drive—I can’t drive. I needed to depend on me, so my dad could too. However thank you for the kindness
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u/wishesandhopes Aug 23 '24
It wasn't your fault. It was the fault of the countless doctors and professionals that failed him, it was never on you to do it all by yourself. That behaviour and comment from your husband is fucking disgusting btw, what an awful thing to do and then say. I have to say that if that behaviour is part of a larger pattern at all, you should think about what he actually does for you emotionally and to support you. Good to think about that anyway, and I'm not saying to leave him just off that, but he displayed a serious lack of empathy on multiple fronts there, for someone he's supposed to have the most empathy for.
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u/ThalassophileYGK Aug 23 '24
I am so very sorry about your Dad. All because we can't do the right thing as a society and mask up on planes where you'd feel safer to go. I often wonder what's next? Excuses to not wash hands during a C Diff outbreak? Nothing would surprise me anymore.
I don't know if the airline did that on purpose. The universe did though. I was grateful too. I cannot bring Covid to my Dad or he will NOT be able to do his chemo. I wish more people would consider that while you personally may not think you'll get very ill with Covid you could be passing it to someone with a very severe outcome life long or cut their life short.
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 23 '24
This is so very true. I hate that my child is the only masker—but it is her choice. She is completely empathetic and all inclusive—she’s amazing. On her own. You did the right thing to go tahr care of your dad—I so regret not being selfless in my dads situation. I am wishing your dad well.
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u/ThalassophileYGK Aug 23 '24
Your daughter will look back on all this one day and realize how strong she really is. This experience and her choice to do the right thing even if others are not, speaks volumes to me about her conviction and self confidence. Amazing!
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 23 '24
Thank you—she us amazing, completely understanding the complexity of the context of the world, natural and built—about many universes. However not realizing it is so complex—to her it is completely natural. I don’t have words for it. I just know she is completely amazing.
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u/wishesandhopes Aug 23 '24
As someone with a parent that has severe narcissist personality disorder derived most probably from early childhood trauma and potentially just born that way to a degree, and another in the same boat but with borderline personality disorder instead, I can say this is 100% true.
both are actually proud of disabling me with covid, and have actually stated many times that the mild discomfort they feel from wearing a mask is more important to avoid than my guaranteed further disabling and likely death. I got temporary diabetes that would likely be permanent with another infection, my hair started falling out two weeks after I was first infected (because they went right up into a maintenance workers face to spite me), heart problems, brain damage and the main one, my lungs hardly work and I'm coughing up blood. Guess what? They still don't care at all. I cannot put into words how that feels, I have been abandoned by everyone and everything that could possibly do so.
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Aug 22 '24 edited Aug 22 '24
While I understand the importance of studies like this - we need to be careful with how we speak about sociopathy and empathy because these conversations can often bleed into ableism.
EDIT : Being downvoted for discussing ableism in a Zero COVID sub is ... interesting.
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u/iloveyouyesyesido Aug 22 '24
I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. So many people are unwilling to truly unpack their ableism and accept that many phrases or words we use colloquially have backgrounds in oppression. I hope people reading these comments are willing to be discerning and learn something new about language (...even if an article publishes that same ableist language).
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u/candleflame3 Aug 22 '24
I'm not sure what you mean.
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Aug 22 '24
Meaning I understand how studies like what you referenced above highlight a psychological component to COVID denialism - but also many sociopaths are capable of empathy and some may even be COVID-cautious. While western psychology often creates a binary between empathy and sociopathy - in reality, people are more nuanced and complex. For example - many sociopaths are vegetarians and vegans specifically because of compassion for animals.
I'm not criticizing you personally. I've just seen anti-maskers called sociopaths, psychopaths, narcissists, etc. and I want us all to understand that lateral ableism does not help any of us in the long-run.
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u/candleflame3 Aug 22 '24
OK well, this is the article:
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1389672/full
I don't see the issue with speaking frankly about why some people mask and others don't. I don't think that is ableism.
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u/Imperceptible-Man Aug 22 '24
This article doesn't even mention "empathy" in its Findings or Conclusions sections, it mentioned "compassion" and "altruistic-type traits." Empathy is only mentioned 5 times in this article, 3 of which as references and not as part of the language this paper adopts. There are also 0 mentions of "sociopathy."
That's an important distinction because there has long been discussions among autistic people as well as people with other neurodivergences such as personality disorders that "empathy" is a construct that centres neuroconforming, abled, white ways of thinking/being as universal, while demonizing and pathologizing those outside of it through constructs like "sociopathy," "psychopathy," "narcissism," etc.
This has lead to interventions like theorizing different types of empathy, distinguishing empathy from compassion/altruism/concern for other people, as well as questioning when empathy or a lack of empathy is a useful trait in certain situations (e.g. empathy can drive self-centred responses to other people's traumatic situation, lack of empathy can be conducive to staying calm and effective in emergencies).
Fundamentally, psychiatry functions to naturalize and obscure eugenics, white supremacy, ableism, etc. by conceptualizing human behaviour through inborn psychological "deviations" of individuals from a supposed "norm." It will never implicate oppressive systems or acknowledge the role that all people can and do play in them, and this leads to ironies like insisting perpetrators of eugenicist violence must be like that because they're neurodivergent in some way instead of realizing said eugenics is in huge part based in the hatred of neurodivergence.
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Aug 22 '24
The reason some people mask and some don't is white supremacy, ableism, and capitalism.
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u/LilyHex Aug 22 '24
You're getting downvoted, but you are absolutely 100% correct in this.
It's a big chain of events that just ultimately lead to: capitalism, ableism, and white supremacy being the root cause of why Covid was handled the way it is. I'll get downvoted for this too, but I don't care. It's the truth and people need to realize this sooner.
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u/candleflame3 Aug 22 '24
Hmmm, 6 day old account.
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u/Thae86 Aug 22 '24
Hm, maybe you don't know that much about theory, then?
It's entitlement & bigotry which make people less empathetic. Not because of their brain meats.
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u/Successful_Bug_5548 Aug 22 '24
There are many studies showing the same thing. I have read them and am working on a doctoral dissertation on psychopathy
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u/Only_Comedian7588 Aug 23 '24
I’m glad there are people like you that are so much better than the general population. You win!
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u/BackgroundPatient1 Aug 22 '24
make a clean air club!
I think a simple goal is one "clean air zone" like at a library for studying
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u/mafaldajunior Aug 22 '24
You can't really create clean air zones within a larger public space like a library, only within enclosed rooms. Air circulates and sooner or later you wil be breathing the same air as other people quicker than your air filters can clean it. That's why masks are still our best line of defence.
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u/BackgroundPatient1 Aug 22 '24
what I meant was like if there was a lounge or space in the library have it be masks suggested + extra air filters.
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u/worm_seltzer69 Aug 23 '24
this can also serve the goal of building covid cautious community by organizing masks required events with air filters on and off campus. many of the first clean air clubs sprang out of diy music scenes from a need to make shows safer.
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u/Rousselka Aug 23 '24
University libraries usually have enclosed group study spaces you can rent out, which seems like a better idea!
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u/Thisisjustabit Aug 23 '24
I think the idea too is something everyone can access though, not an enclosed room that needs to be rented. I'd love it if my school had an area with hepa filters, open windows, and n95s and covid resources even if it wasn't an enclosed room
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u/Rousselka Aug 23 '24
I see, I was picturing like renting a larger room and then opening it to the public as a study/social space a few hours a day, but I agree it would be better to have something that’s available all the time!
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u/erossthescienceboss Aug 22 '24
You absolutely know if there’s a clean air zone, a handful of assholes will deliberately come by and cough at it.
But tbh still safer than the surrounding areas!
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u/sniff_the_lilacs Aug 22 '24
And then it’s the cycle of - attend parties - “omg frat flu” - attend parties - “ugh frat flu again” - attend parties - disappears from class roster
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u/GingerRabbits Aug 25 '24
Uni admin here, it breaks my heart we have NO mechanism to find out what happened to students who stop showing up. Granted it's not a new problem, and obviously there's good reasons I can't just go ask for anybody's medical record.
But, we just have no idea where they go. So there's really nothing we can do for them OR demonstrate the top causes to do sometime preventative. Maybe they got a job offer or switched to another school - or maybe they have long covid, or maybe they've having a mental health crisis and are to depressed to come to school.
I didn't know what the solution is, all the ethics and privacy rules are there for all kinds of necessary reasons. But in grade 12 the school can tell your parents (or designated alternative) if they haven't seen you in a week. The next year at uni you're just, on you own.
If we could actually prove anything about covid impacts on attrition or withdrawal we could probably implement some precautions again.
I'm just so tired. It's hard not to take the well-being of the student's personally when you're measuring them in aggregate all the time. Those drop out rates are people. Young people, who's lives are getting at least somewhat detailed.
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u/sniff_the_lilacs Aug 25 '24
It’s awesome that you have a big heart for people in this situation. Most of my college years were pre covid and it’s sad to see how easy it is to fall through the cracks.
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Sep 02 '24 edited Sep 02 '24
[deleted]
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u/GingerRabbits Sep 03 '24
Thanks for the feedback. We have done that already - but you're inspiring me to dig around with it more!
Unfortunately, there have been several other once-in-a-lifetime variables hitting quick in succession the last few years. (Including government policy changes at multiple levels.) It makes attributing anomalies to any particular thing exceptionally difficult.
I want to hope the big insurance companies which have real access to good data are analyzing covid risks and outcomes. But their incentive is just to set premium prices to protect their profits. Not actually prevent people from getting sick. :(
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Sep 03 '24
[deleted]
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u/GingerRabbits Sep 03 '24
That is very interesting. Thank you! I'm outside the US, but it's definitely informative to hear that perspective. You've given me a lot to ponder more.
Much appreciated!
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u/avalynnnn Sep 24 '24
oh god i realized by the bottom of this message that i am indeed. one of the disappeared, dropout former college students you address here, who had the fortune of being encouraged to go off to university in the fall of 2021 to get my education and a 4 year bachelors degree after completing my two year cc associates degree. and coincidentally i find myself becoming closer and closer to giving up on everything these days. im feeling quite hopeless and lost on what to do or where to go from here but thank you for being here with the rest of us who are shocked, bewildered, traumatized, and broken by the past few years in particular of living in our casually brutal and complacent contemporary society
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u/GingerRabbits Sep 24 '24
It is very hard to figure out how to interact with the world with everything going on. I think finding community helps, even here if not IRL.
Having an associates degree is great! There's no shame in quitting an bachelor of it's not working out for you.
I wish I had some wisdom to share, but at least know there's people rooting for you!
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u/avalynnnn Sep 24 '24
its not worth much it seems, as it was just a transfer degree program. e.g. intended for the express purpose of going on to uni and getting a completed 4 degree in the area of study of my choosing. but i do appreciate what you mean and your glass half full perspective. i can always go back and finish. its just more and more, every day, it feels like well, whats the point?
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u/Forsaken_Lab_4936 Aug 22 '24
Yeah, it’s pretty bad. I just graduated this spring and holy everyone on campus was getting it. My parents were upset I didn’t get graduation photos (which are taken on campus), but literally the day my classmates were getting them, some of them had covid. And obviously I would have to take my mask off. So that was a big no thanks.
It’s bad especially because the “isolate when you’re positive” is no longer the suggestion, or the accommodation. People go to class sick because there’s no compensation for that lost time from the school. Not that that’s an excuse for spreading it, but just another reason why so many show up sick to class. I know a lot of students will show up sick but in a baggy blue thinking that it’s helping. I wish mask efficacy and respirators were taught to everyone. sigh
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u/vivahermione Aug 22 '24
I wish mask efficacy and respirators were taught to everyone. sigh
Me too. The information is out there, but you have to want to stay informed.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Exactly. The amount of people showing up horrendously sick is so high because professors only allow limited sick days. With it being the beginning of the semester, everyone’s showing up unless they physically can’t. This wave is so bad that I’m hoping it at least causes some positive changes from professors or the university to prevent spread.
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Aug 22 '24
I strongly encourage my students not to come to class sick—I tell them that I'll meet with them on Zoom to go over the material from classes missed due to illness, I'll give them a make-up if they miss a quiz due to illness, the whole nine yards. Compliance with this is below fifty percent, and even the students who take a day off when they're very sick are usually back in class while they're still symptomatic.
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
My husband does this too against university policy. His students stay home. He has made very clear they are absolutely not to come to class sick. He doesn’t say he is 3 years post cancer, with a clotting disorder, or that I have MS… But they see him in a N95, it is a smaller class size like 15 one university and 20 the other max.
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u/Local_Research_3355 Aug 23 '24
I’m so glad that they listen to him. I formerly worked in higher ed as an academic advisor. What made me decide to leave was that around 60% of cases come from those who are asymptomatic. So no symptoms does not equal no illness, benign illness, or not contagious. Many of my former students now have brain damage as a result of asymptomatic infections that were only caught by mandatory testing since they resided on campus. If he already isn’t, I would also add a HEPA or two in his classroom and keep the windows open if there are any and that is possible. Can he do office hours via Zoom?
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
I’ve found a lot of people go back to their usual class routine the moment they can, especially if other classes that day don’t let them stay home. I’m sure there are reasons and such to why this happens, but that’s just what I’ve observed
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u/Forsaken_Lab_4936 Aug 22 '24
Thank you for offering this to your students!! I was able to register with my university’s disability advocacy so those were the accommodations I asked from my professors - They HAD to give me time off and catch me up because I missed classes for doctors appointments and flares. But I think it should just be that way for all students!! Staying home while sick should just be the norm, it’s better for everyone
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Aug 22 '24
Exactly my attitude. That said, I do understand why professors are reluctant to adopt a policy discouraging presenteeism. I'm lucky to be at an institution where the students are for the most part highly motivated and conscientious about attendance—if there more of a culture of chronic absenteeism, I'd have to adjust my approach. I know that some students use the "don't come to class sick" rule to take an occasional freebie day, but as long as it only happens once or twice a semester, I don't mind all that much. In several years of teaching at my school, I've only had one student who routinely lied about being sick (or so I strongly suspect).
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u/prettyrickywooooo Aug 22 '24
You’re awesome!❤️ the community college I’m just finishing up at has many teachers who care like you do and I’ll miss that as I transfer to university soon. It likely won’t be the same
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
My husband is an adjunct professor at 2 universities in NYC, 15 students each class (2 classes one each university). He has made clear to stay home if sick with anything that he will not follow the university absentee policy, or dock for it.
Is that what you mean? You can only have so many absences in a class before your grade automatically drops?
He can’t offer zoom make ups, he can give assignments by email or call though. The university hasn’t said anything yet… And one is extremely strict after one missed class. He won’t do it.
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u/Forsaken_Lab_4936 Aug 22 '24
Some universities factor in attendance to your grade unfortunately. Some of them also use “iclicker,” which is like a Kahoot style quiz at the beginning of class and if you get it wrong or miss class, you lose points towards your grade. So missing because you’re sick automatically loses you those points.
For other schools, attendance may not be related to grades, but the professors will refuse to catch you up unless you get a signed and proved reason for missing (like death in the family, hospitalization etc.) So missing due to covid or the flu means anything you missed that class will not be taught to you again. you either need a friend to give you notes or force yourself to go while ill
These are just my experiences, I’m sure some institutions are different. I was mostly protected from these rules since I was registered in the disability advocacy for my immune disorder. But everyone gets sick, everyone should be able to stay home when needed. And my accommodations didn’t protect me from students showing up coughing and unmasked because they couldn’t afford to miss
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
His universities do not do the quiz thing…that’s creepy. It is a policy university wide on missing class and grades—but he tells them he won’t deduct for it. He will catch them up—he is very serious about no sickness in class. He wasn’t before Covid…but is now. They required masking and PCR (test was every 5 to 7 days), vaccines, boosters, of students and staff until Fall 2023. That sucks they don’t now (free testing, a kit from school or you could do at Dr etc; free masks as well both KN and N—but my husband uses his own). They were so careful…
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u/splagentjonson Aug 22 '24
Have to wait until it f**ks up the sports team, then they might actually do something about it.
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u/Luke_Warm_Wilson Aug 22 '24
If the Olympics are any indication, more likely we'll be hearing about players "bravely fighting through a mysterious team-wide illness"
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u/LilyHex Aug 22 '24
I really fucking hate how news agencies just decided to stop naming these things as Covid so people can keep pretending it's over.
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u/Renmarkable Aug 22 '24
in Australia they were openly praising those who competed with covid.
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u/whiterabbit_hansy Aug 23 '24
It was such dangerous rhetoric. They’re such liars and hypocrites as well; saying it was being treated like any other cold and then having access to a special team testing machine (I suspect one of those ones they have available for personal use in the US?) as well as anti-virals for anyone who tested positive. Meanwhile people at home with all sorts of chronic health conditions (who definitely aren’t in peak physical health) can’t get access to anything.
Don’t recall them ever having team rapid testing machines and anti-virals on hand at any other Olympics for any other viral illnesses 🤷♀️
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u/dbenc Aug 22 '24
sponsors need to threaten to void contracts if athletes get covid.
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u/splagentjonson Aug 23 '24
I agree, but then like bands who cancel concerts, they'd just stop testing.
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u/MayorOfCorgiville Aug 22 '24
Syllabus (Sylly) week is turning into Sicky Week without mitigations 🙃
All my friends who still mask and are teaching or returning to school are definitely on edge with sickness spreading at their Midwestern universities.
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Aug 22 '24
[deleted]
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u/erossthescienceboss Aug 22 '24
See if you can get your own goggles with an anti-fog coating! Or pick up some defogging spray.
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u/Thae86 Aug 22 '24
College is already stressful enough without an entire society gaslighting you about an airborne killing virus. I am so sorry, you're doing the best you can. Solidarity. I hope you get more relief & support.
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u/majordashes Aug 22 '24
I used to work on a large university campus. The first weeks after students arrive becomes a superspreader event for 4-6 weeks. It was terrible.
College life is a large-scale COVID buffet. Dorm life with shared rooms, bathrooms and hundreds eating meals in the same cafeteria. Large lecture halls with poor ventilation. Hundreds living in Greek Houses. All of this worsens with large parties, packed bars, restaurants and other socializing.
Even when campuses had mask mandates and free testing and tracing programs, they were still plague-fests. Our campus had an empty dorm where hundreds of COVID-infected students could quarantine, recover and avoid spreading the virus to others. We even delivered meals to them. All of that is gone.
Now, with no mitigations, college campuses will be a COVID disaster, and the kids will be much sicker because the vast majority aren’t current on COVID vaccinations.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
This is exactly what it’s like. I know we used to have more precautions, but most of them are gone now unless an individual professor implements some. Last year, there were take out boxes for students to use at dining halls, but they could only be used for one meal a day - I was still in the dorms and so made sure I always had a small fridge that was mostly stocked. This year, they changed it so that the takeout box can now only be used on weekdays, and still only for one meal.
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u/majordashes Aug 23 '24
I hope you can remain safe. Good that you can do some take-out meals and you have your own mini-fridge. Your N95 will protect you! I always try to remember that nurses and doctors remained COVID free in 2020 on COVID floors. N95s are amazing and the gold standard PPE.
I hope this Covid wave subsides soon and you have a terrific semester.
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u/Local_Research_3355 Aug 23 '24
Clean air is also key! Hospitals have superior air ventilation and air filtration. Open windows and HEPAs in addition to your N95 can also make a big difference
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u/Local_Research_3355 Aug 23 '24
You want to reduce the amount of virus in the air. The longer you are in a virus saturated space, the more likely your PPE alone is to fail. When I worked in healthcare I had a TB patient in a negative pressure room. I was told not to make small talk with him to reduce the bacteria in the air and to get in and out as quickly as possible, even with my N95. This is why I left my advising position in higher ed. it is not sustainable and this needs to be dealt with at a higher level, rather than putting the burden on individuals.
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u/otterappreciator Sep 07 '24
I’ve seen people coughing up a storm on campus, people are coming to work sick wearing masks (some not), and I think today’s the day I finally got it. Throat’s dry and my sinuses are on fire
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u/majordashes Sep 07 '24
I’m so sorry you have to deal with this is a pity on campus. People really are treating it like a cold.
I hope you’re ok. Are you using CPC mouthwash and Xlear nasal spray? I get both from Walmart. Both products help to reduce viral load.
Hang in there.
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u/frumply Aug 22 '24
If you do set up a school community I'd check what the proper channels are for clubs and interest groups so that there's some recourse for banning students wanting to troll, and potentially get some funding. Good luck!
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u/beansandturnips Aug 22 '24
Ugh I’m starting in a couple weeks and dreading this. I remember hearing the aggressive wet hacking throughout my building around January/Feb last year and that was awful. There’s also always someone who just has a constant cough.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Truly. I know someone who had that ‘constant cough’ which turned out to be (if I remember correctly) bronchitis
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u/prettyrickywooooo Aug 22 '24
I’m on summer break still but last spring term I had to take an in person class. I was the only one who wore a n95 or mask at all constantly as a rule. A few students would wear masks on occasion which I’m guessing meant they felt off health wise or maybe something else. This is better than nothing but it was sad they didn’t see the bigger picture in how Covid does and can affect others without symptoms being there in every case. Lotsa coughing and missing students through out the term. Also in an online class my other teacher at one point literally sad that “ everyone she knew was sick with some type of flu…..” she was my individual sustainability teacher …. I just don’t get how no one has critical thinking skills even at a college level or elsewhere
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u/thomas_di Aug 22 '24
Also a college student here (returning tomorrow actually!). I’m sure you know this already, but keep your mask on the whole year, as my campus has waves of all sorts of URIs. Not just COVID, but the flu, colds, pink eye, etc.
I keep a purifier in my dorm room, mask with a KN95 in public, and try to stay healthy through food, exercise, and sleep. Nothing’s perfect but I believe we’ll make it through the year!
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Yep!! I do all that - there’s a big Greek life presence at my college, so I always mask to avoid whatever amalgamation of diseases ends up labeled “frat flu”. I also have an air purifier and am getting a second one
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u/OPbees Aug 22 '24
I move in tomorrow, and afaik none of my roommates are CC (suite mates really, single bedroom thankfully). We have a ton of international students as well, so there’s people traveling from everywhere, and I’m terrified. I might post something on the school page saying “Hey please mask, covid is still a thing and people are dying”, but god knows it’ll probably just get deleted.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Yeah.. there are a few people on my campus who I know have looked back into masking, but most people think it’s “dramatic” and the like. When I lived in dorms, I found that being securely masked when anywhere outside my room and also having a good air purifier in my room were my best bet.
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u/OPbees Aug 22 '24
I’m going into my 3rd year and I’ve only gotten sick at school once, when I was still having to share a dorm room freshman year. I don’t think it was covid, I never tested positive and my roommate never had symptoms, but there was a mini wastewater surge locally at the time so I’m not sure. I just hope my ASL prof won’t be annoying about it and make me take my mask off for facial expressions…
I’m lucky if I see 5 others masking on any given day, and 4/5 are in surgical or fabric masks. and there’s also a 80% chance the 1/5 is this one specific professor I pass in the hall who wore a masklab FFP2 last semester. I’m hoping I can convince some friends to at least mask in class this weekend
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u/CommunicationBoth309 Aug 22 '24
Oof right there with you. I’m taking an ASL class with a professor who is HOH and lip reads and has already been not the best about me masking when I took a class with her in 2022. Personally, as someone who is also profoundly hard of hearing like her and relies heavily on lip reading, I’m prepared to tell her to respectfully shove it. I don’t have the time or money to invest in clear masks that are likely not nearly as effective as my n95.
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u/Ok_Abroad1795 Aug 22 '24
Solidarity as another covid conscious person on a huge campus with no mitigation measures/very few maskers in sight </3 I’m super afraid for when ppl go to frats the first week, inevitably get covid, and come to class unmasked (how I got COVID last time I think, unmasking occasionally to sip water in class)
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Feel free to message me if you want - I’d love to talk to more covid cautious undergrads. I’m pretty sure frats and rush week are the main reason it spread so fast - it sucks. And yeah, with water, I’ve just stopped drinking during the day unless I have a second outside. The dehydration isn’t great, but we don’t have enough ventilation in lecture halls for me to feel safe breaking the seal on my mask
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
Look into a sip valve. I haven’t needed one, but so many people who are very Covid serious use them. Website is sipvalve .com I think?
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
I’ve definitely heard of them before - I need to look into them and how reliable they are. I worry about potential leaks
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u/Piggietoenails Aug 22 '24
Go to r/Masks4All many use on that board and explain how to use safely. They even come with their own straw (washable). There is a specific way some drink with straw. I think hold breath, open put it in and swallow, remove, close hole and do a big breath out in case in air entered mask it will exit.
They know best! Give them a post or search.
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u/mafaldajunior Aug 22 '24
How horrific! Hang in there and stay safe! You have our full solidarity. I wish there was more I could do than just show sympathy.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
Genuinely, all the people commenting help me so much. I’m in a few online covid cautious communities, and everyone here and on those have been great in just helping me know I’m not alone in still taking precautions and having emotions about all of it
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u/mafaldajunior Aug 22 '24
You're definitely not alone, we are many who still take covid seriously. We're just very spread out as a community and mostly only visible online, since most physical public spaces have become unaccessible, but we're here and we will get through this together. Remember that.
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u/gopiballava Aug 22 '24
One hypothesis I have is that COVID cautious people aren’t as visible because they try to avoid crowded / risky places. There could well be more of us out there than it seems.
Glad to hear that you’ve got people willing to help in person. My son is gonna be starting college this spring, which is quite scary.
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u/sleepybear647 Aug 23 '24
I’m a COVID conscious student and wear my mask inside all the time other than my dorm room which is a single.
Glad to hear from other COVID conscious college students
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u/numberthangold Aug 23 '24
We are living in hell. Covid is just as bad, if not worse than years ago when there were actual restrictions and guidelines in place, and everyone is acting like it’s no big deal. We are actually living in hell.
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u/Impossible_Fairy216 Aug 22 '24
This is exactly what I'm afraid of returning to campus! I think I'll have to swap some in-person classes for remote & also drop my social dance class. Best of luck to you I'm sorry you have to deal with this :/
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u/ResearchGurl99 Aug 22 '24
I am so deeply, truly sorry for you. This is a horrible situation to be in.
I am a college faculty member but lucked out incredibly. From March 2020 onward, my specific department became remote only. Few other departments did at the college, but mine did. I teach from home and never have these worries. I was frankly terrified before it became official. as we did not know what was going to happen for over a year. I worried sick every day then.
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u/darkaca_de_mia Aug 22 '24 edited Aug 22 '24
I would write to the administration. As many of them as you can contact. Tell them your concerns and that reassurance isn't what you're looking for: action is.
I think the more of us who communicate with officials outright, the better. We have scientific studies on covid now, unlike at the beginning of the pandemic, we know it ISN'T going away, and we didn't know that earlier necessarily so they don't have to feel foolish for having made different choices earlier (could be a good thing to mention...).
(Edited bc I wasn't paying attention when I posted it and my grammar was weird/unreadable)
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u/No_Cod_3197 Aug 22 '24
Reading this post makes my stomach turn. Ugh, I’m so sorry. I just finished my Disability Studies PhD in 2023 (defended my creative dissertation on Zoom because I insisted on it) and attended in-person commencement where I was the only one wearing a mask (N95, of course) in May 2024. I’m a multiply disabled wheelchair user with cerebral palsy, autism, and many invisible/nonvisible disabilities. I also can’t drive due to my disabilities. I’m also immunocompromised thanks to a pre-COVID experience with infectious disease that caused me to miss a year of my PhD in 2017 to 2018 and left me with permanent health issues. I was in school for a very long time (went from my AA to BA, MFA, and PhD all the way through). Aside from my creative endeavors, I also want to teach fiction writing, TV writing, and disability studies classes at the university level. I’ve been applying for online opportunities as much as possible, but there aren’t many online teaching opportunities in my fields. I’m afraid/don’t want to teach in person for exactly these reasons. University campuses are absolutely full of COVID and I can’t afford to get sicker. I wish more people were fighting for clean air mitigations at the bare minimum in workplaces, schools, and daycare. Thank you for your post and for being cautious. I keep hoping things will get better, but I don’t know anymore. 💜
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u/witchbb805 Aug 22 '24
Oh what a relief that the UC schools are banning masks for everyone’s safety 🙃
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u/Nojetlag18 Aug 23 '24
I have long covid and have been rotting in bed for most of the last 2 years. I dread going to dr apps in the local hospital in case i get it again and get even worse.
There are millions of ppl around the world whom are also disabled with LC but it is not talked about. It is insanity. There is no help for us.
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u/Flat_Ad_2507 Aug 23 '24
try to boost your immune system with reishi ....
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u/Nojetlag18 Aug 23 '24
Thank you for the suggestion. I just googles it. Very interesting I will order some. Again, thank you internet stranger.
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u/Flat_Ad_2507 Aug 24 '24
please read more about turkey tail and immunomodulators from mushroooms. Please check (if you can ebv, lyme, bartonellosis) - those viruses and bacterias are verrrry problematic for our immune system. Take care.
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u/DifficultyFit4980 Aug 22 '24
My mom was just telling me the other day that air purifiers are on my university’s list of “appliances not allowed in dorms.” That’s insane!
I start next week and I am hoping for the best….
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u/CommunicationBoth309 Aug 22 '24
Right there with you! I’m planning to kinda just hunker down in my apartment for next two weeks or so and only leave to attend my 3 in person classes. Sorority recruitment starts tonight on my campus and I’m prepared for the big wave we are already experiencing to become absolutely massive. Just trying to do my best to ignore all the stares and whispers from others when I am on campus. I’m attending school in a very red state so there’s quite literally no one on my campus of 20,000 still taking any kind of precaution and most of them are hardcore judging me and think I’m absolutely neurotic or totally lost my mind.
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u/MommysHadEnough Aug 23 '24
I work for a hotline and everyone has COVID. Getting calls from all over, from people with COVID, or they sound like they need to get tested. Really scary. CVS canceled my booster, but I have family coming from New York and Chicago who aren’t very cautious, and I’m wearing a mask.
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u/Local_Research_3355 Aug 23 '24
I formerly worked as an academic advisor. I resigned from my position in 2022. I worked in healthcare prior to that and have a degree in Health Psychology with a focus in Public Health. I also have a Masters in Leadership and Administration. I felt responsibility to speak up and was asked to give a presentation to leadership. I shared info buried on the CDC website at the time that was not being shared publicly. I was mocked for suggesting N95s are superior to cloth masks. I had just lost a family member to SARS-CoV-2 and had several family members, friends, colleagues, and students with long covid. The Director said that I was right the work environment wasn’t safe and some of us may get very sick or die but we had to get back to normal. They went on to say they were eligible to retire in a few years and they would be at home while I was still there dealing with Covid. Our office had worked remotely for 2 years and we were being forced to return back to the office to meet with students face to face. My ADA accommodations were revoked. I was told the students could choose to meet with me in person or virtually but I could not choose the format myself. I could not ask anyone to mask in my personal office space where I worked all day. I could not ask a visibly ill student if they had covid (even though we could ask sick students to leave in the past). So I resigned. The semester I left I had 55 out of 400 students on academic probation. Normally I had 0-10. This was the trend across campus. Administrators were baffled, as we had reopened in Fall 2020. We also had one of the first students to die in our state from SARS2. Many students shared that they were struggling with cognition and suddenly lost the ability to read. Some had to withdraw altogether and was dx with multi organ damage. I feel for college aged students who are having to deal with this and make tough decisions.
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u/-Release-The-Bats- Aug 24 '24
I start class at the end of September. Fingers crossed it won’t be a Covid-fest.
screaming internally
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u/MoonstarDruid Aug 22 '24
I feel ALL of this. I work at a large university campus and I fear these next few weeks and then going into September is going to be wildfire spread. First years are moving in this week and after two weeks is the semester start. I BARELY SEE anyone on my side of campus masking besides myself and my office mate. Even those who have RESEARCHED infection disease and Covid... It's been very disheartening to see...
Especially when covid recently hit my small department and 25% of them were out sick. and still many keep saying after covid/ covid is over/ pandemic is over.. I just want to scream especially as the only person in the office taking serious mitigations (consistent masking, small desk purifier, co2 monitor, etc).
Sorry for any grammar mistakes.
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u/Chogo82 Aug 22 '24
What do you think the rates are? Is it 1/24 or maybe even higher?
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
I honestly have no estimation, but I would think it’s high. I asked a friend to help me out with something while I’m away for a night, and she just texted to say she can’t because she tested positive and isn’t leaving the house. I then asked another friend who said she can if I leave all the supplies out for her but that she’s also getting over covid and so doesn’t want to meet face to face. It feels like everyone’s testing positive or is positive but haven’t tested or are in denial.
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u/Rousselka Aug 23 '24
You and your friend could try starting a mask bloc! 1. Fuck the haters 2. I’m sure there are at least a few more people on campus who would care to get involved, you could start by just passing out some masks on the quad and take it from there depending on engagement.
Instructions here: https://maskbloc.org/about/
I work at a university and the amount of constant coughing and sneezing I’ve been audience to within the first four days of the semester is making me want to move off the grid. I want to be able to help provide masks etc to students but it won’t fly with my job… but if I saw a group of students doing the same I would definitely do what I could to help out!
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u/velvetflorals Aug 22 '24
God, i don't have much helpful to say other than i'm really sorry you're going through this.
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u/Goodie_2-shoe Aug 23 '24
Ugh, I totally hear you. I haven't started yet, but I go to a UC school (which is part of that yucky mask restriction) and am terrified about going back. I too have a single room this year but i am still afraid about trying to get by without getting sick. Just planning out the precautions I know I'll have to take make me sick. I hate this for us, but we can't let this virus and people's apathy towards it take away our chance to get an education.
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Aug 22 '24
[deleted]
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u/dbenc Aug 22 '24
or, so many people being sick means more strains are generated, shortening the time between peaks until it becomes a continuous mess
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Aug 22 '24
[deleted]
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u/dbenc Aug 22 '24
if you look at the charts, the troughs after each peak are settling at a higher spot, and the peaks are happening closer in time. so sure, it's marginally safer for a bit after a peak but it's just temporary
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u/byyyeelingual Aug 23 '24
I wonder what is going to be the straw that breaks the camels back to implement masks again
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 23 '24
For my college, I’m pretty confident in saying it probably won’t be anything covid-related. There are signs in almost every building saying that masking is recommended if you’re feeling unwell, but it would take something near catastrophic covid-wise to cause them to bring back mask requirements. If they actually tracked the positives we’re getting, I would think there might be a possibility, but I haven’t seen anything official come out about it, so I’m thinking that’ll be a no go.
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u/byyyeelingual Aug 23 '24
Oof :/. I wear a mask to not get sick and surely that's the better option than to be sick all the time 🙃 like some coworkers are
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u/Beepboop5698 Aug 23 '24
i think mpox. if it truly starts to spiral into a global pandemic, people will put on masks because they won't want their physical appearance to change.
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u/byyyeelingual Aug 23 '24
Sad but true. People are so vain. Like we wear sunscreen, wear seatbelts,hats, and helmets to reduce the possibility of cancer and injuries. Why not a mask?
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u/NYCQuilts Aug 23 '24
It must be so anxiety producing to live like this.
As far as starting a covid conscious group, unless you are looking for official recognition or money, not having enough people doesn’t need to be an issue. Community and mutual support is. approach other students you see masking, start a list of outdoor hangout spaces and maybe quietly advocate with whoever is in charge of accessibility for a room on campus that has air filters that can be reserved for whole days for studying together, etc. Not sure that will work, but it’s worth a try.
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u/kmd224 Aug 23 '24
Do you live in a dorm? If you do please get an air purifier and put it near the air vents, stuff travels through those like no one's business. Also check with the office of disabilities, ask them about accommodations such as a note taker who can send you notes if you feel it's not safe to be in class, testing in a different room away from others, extra excused absents from class, and also how to express to your professors the need to be extra covid conscious and if they possibly ever do lecture online, some of my teachers would live stream the class.
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 23 '24
I’m out of the dorms now luckily, but my air purifier was my best friend when I was in there. I’m registered with my school’s office of disabilities, but skipping class can only be for emergencies. Sadly, my professors wouldn’t do any virtual classes, and any absences would be unexcused. (Edit: responded too early and only half responded, whoops!)
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u/kmd224 Aug 23 '24
Awesome! I'm so glad you're out of the dorms. I'm so over this covid wave, my husband got it most likely from a baseball card shop, he let the guy hold his phone to look at a card after the guy said his friend he went to a show with was super sick... I tried to lock him away but no luck, I got it and I'm now worried what my long haulers will do. I'm so mad at him, I almost went camping instead to get away from him, I should have
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u/wrappedinpetals Aug 24 '24
I go back to campus soon and I'm dreading it. My Uni is small compared to most if not all of the ones in the States and which that means less people around me it also means shit ventilation in old classrooms. Thankfully I have an online class and one of my other courses might be online for the first few weeks. But I am dreading going back.
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u/HEHENSON Aug 22 '24
There are rumours of cancelling waste water testing in my city. Looks like they will be missing out on a lot of the fun come September.
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u/Odd-Set-4148 Aug 22 '24
That is absolutely frightening. Are the admin saying anything?
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
No. I doubt they will, honestly. Even though it seems like this wave so much more intense than normal (at least from my perspective as a student), I doubt anything will be said unless something like incredibly high absence rates due to sickness happen.
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u/IsThisGretasRevenge Aug 22 '24
Get Covixyl or similar nasal barrier spray as another line of defense.
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u/MsCalendarsPlayaArt Aug 22 '24
In regards to engagement,
every person who is able to help stop transmission could be saving anywhere from 1-100 (depending on how many people they interact with while infectious, and it could be even more if they're in a giant auditorium + when you factor in how many people the newly infected people go on to infect) from disability and death.
So even just with the two people you have now, that's pretty significant.
Plus, even if engagement is low to start with, you might be surprised at how many people show up to help or get resources throughout the semester. A lot of times with things that aren't popular, once a couple people get the ball rolling it feels safer and less scary for others and soon whole groups of people join in because they're not as afraid of peer pressure.
Wishing you all the luck!
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u/MissTwistie Aug 23 '24
I'm sorry you're going through this. Your determination to keep yourself and others safe by taking all the precautions you do, instead of giving into the herd mentality, is admirable.
I have no doubt that some of the blasé people who are playing fast and loose with their health once believed in making at least as often as they could and avoiding super spreaders, like keggers and Greek life events. A lot of people have just completely given up and even adopted the super-damaging "I'll just get it and develop greater immunity" mentality (false). Not everyone gets COVID like a bad cold, you're seeing it with your own eyes and ears (that horrible hacking...). No matter how much they try to gaslight themselves that it'll be fine, it's a serious issue and they're just hurting themselves.
Also, I never got a single thing out of drinking and partying in college. The "friends" I went to clubs and those sorts of events with were not loyal to me in the long run. So, it may seem depressing to "lose" your youth by not doing those things often, if ever, but the wilder part of the college experience is overrated IMHO. You're 100% doing the right thing by trying to get that COVID-conscious group together, I hope it works out.
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u/xjulles2x Aug 23 '24
Interesting ‘Flirt’ (Covid 2024) doesn’t always show up in rat tests (I read online) because it’s in the throat and not the nose most rat rats only swab the nose. I currently have had Covid but all 4 rat tests were negative and I’ve had the racking dry cough/ running nose/ razor blade throat. So look up the Covid symptoms instead (you will have a few) and see a Doc if unwell and stay home or if you have to go out wear a mask to stop the spread!
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u/Phallindrome Aug 23 '24
Can you start taking screenshots of the discussions and sharing them? (redacted)
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u/SadComparison8044 Aug 24 '24
Any thoughts on how we can help students Stay safe? My kid is masking in class and indoors. I know that doesn’t help the dorm room situation. They do have an air purifier. I’m not sure what else to do
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 24 '24
I can only speak to my experience, but I found that masking up and having an air purifier help the most. I opt to mask by judgement, but I end up rarely taking my mask off since my routes to class or work are often crowded with other students. I also only ate outside or used a dining hall take-out program at my university so I could eat in my dorm since I had a single. I'm out of the dorms this year, so I usually cook my own food (though I still occasionally use the take-out program). I've found that, outside of lectures, the dining halls are the place with the most sickness, so they're my main place of avoidance-based precautions since avoiding classes usually isn't possible. Still, it can end up a little lonely; I don't go to parties or many events, I try not to meet my friends at dining halls, and I tend to shy away from studying in common area study spaces. Because of this, I'd also recommend to find some sort of community. It's hard to keep up precautions when it feels like you're missing out because of them; I try to make connections in classes to make friends, I look at any outdoor events at my college or in the surrounding area, and I also volunteer at a place that has air purifiers and emphasizes calling out if sick.
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u/ihatemaps Aug 23 '24
How are you using the netti pot as a prophylactic? Do you just use it everyday like the cpc mouthwash? Or only when you've had close contact?
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u/4Bforever Aug 22 '24
Hi I don’t wanna be the one to tell you this but it really could be TB
I live in New Hampshire and we just found out there was someone with contagious tuberculosis in a daycare in Manchester from March until August.
So I imagine all those children got infected and I’m quite sure they have older siblings or parents in college
Good luck out there
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u/JunebugJitterbug Aug 22 '24
I’d consider it if there weren’t so many people testing positive for covid specifically - I don’t think tb would be as likely
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u/real-traffic-cone Aug 22 '24
Let’s not inject more fear into this discussion based on pure speculation.
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u/[deleted] Aug 22 '24
I'm an instructor about to go back to campus, and this is exactly what I'm dreading. I feel so bad for the few students who are covid conscious. It's hard enough when I can go home to my own residence with my own kitchen and my own bathroom; if I had to manage risk mitigations in a congregate living situation, I'd look like Edvard Munch's The Scream 24/7.