Cases of norovirus and influenza have declined this week, according to Brock Lutz, director of Health Services.

“We are not overly concerned about the current state of things,” Lutz said. “We just want people to be mindful of taking care of themselves and to think of others, so this can run its course as quickly as possible.”

Lutz sent an email last week to students, faculty, and staff alerting them of the increase in norovirus and influenza cases and providing information about prevention and treatment.

While he said he hopes the number of cases continues to decrease, Lutz said students should still monitor symptoms, rest, and stay home if sick.

The recent spike in norovirus and influenza cases has been county-wide, according to staff nurse Kirsten Mapes.

“We are not overwhelmed,” Lutz said. “Our staff is really great at getting people seen quickly and efficiently. The college has been very gracious with providing medical staff to match our student and staff need.”

The maintenance and custodial staffs have been working to disinfect common areas, according to Superintendent of Custodial Services Kirk Wright. For the past two weeks, maintenance has cleaned campus buildings with Clorox Total 360 Sprayers, which the college purchased during COVID-19.

“We would go every night and disinfect with this machine,” Wright said. “We’ve been trying to disinfect a lot more.”

Wright said cleaning crews are targeting the buildings with the highest student traffic: the Grewcock Student Union, Mossey Library, the George Roche Sports Complex, and the classroom buildings. Although housekeeping is trying to avoid getting sick from students, Wright said they are still trying to clean residence halls as much as possible.

“We’re staying out the best we can,” Wright said. “But we’re still going in and disinfecting all the bathrooms and the showers.”

JoAnn Arendt, house director of Galloway Residence, said 20 men have fallen sick in the dorm in February.

Arendt said housekeeping designated one “under the weather” bathroom stall and shower on the third and fourth floors. There is also an empty room where roommates of sick students can sleep to avoid germs.

“I put Gatorade, water, soup, and crackers in a bag and hang it on the student’s door in the morning or when I find out they are sick, and then RAs take another bag of soup, Gatorade, water, and crackers up to them at check-in time,” Arendt said in an email.

Arendt said she communicates with the deans and encourages sick students to call Health Services.

“I send the men of Galloway emails and encourage them to study well, go to class, eat well, drink lots of water, have some fun, make good choices, get your rest, and wash your hands,” Arendt said.

Professor of Biology Francis Steiner said the norovirus is “interesting” because the particle is small and easily transmissible.

“It easily gets into aerosols, and so it can be easily spread,” Steiner said. “It only takes about 10 virus particles to make a person sick — it has a very low infective dose.”

Steiner said his classes have averaged two missing students each day over the past two weeks.

“In biology, we had one student actually vomit in the laboratory, but it wasn’t my class,” Steiner said.

Students have been good about not coming to class or office hours sick, Steiner said.

Steiner said norovirus cannot be cultured or tested like other viruses.

“You identify it by symptoms and eliminating other things, and then you can confirm it with molecular tests,” Steiner said. “It can get out of hand on cruise ships and things like that.”

Assistant Professor of Medieval History Charles Yost said his classes have seen large absences.

“It’s amazing how many students have been emailing me,” Yost said. “Sometimes they go into detail, like, ‘I’m vomiting, I’m other things, I can’t come to class,’ as if they need to convince me. I don’t need details. You don’t have to come, that’s alright.”

Yost said his American Heritage classes have been “skeleton crews.”

“The good thing about this is it seems that when somebody gets it, they get through it quickly,” Yost said. 

Associate Professor of Philosophy Lee Cole said he has had consistent absences in his classes.

“I expect absences this time of year, although it does seem to be a bit later in the winter to be going through this,” Cole said.

He said most of his students have been good about staying home if sick.

“I’m of the view that if you’re contagious with something that’s more than a cold, you certainly shouldn’t be coming to class, or especially not to office hours,” Cole said.

Cole said he has seven kids. The oldest is a current Hillsdale student and the other six are still at home. Although his daughter, who lives in Benzing Residence, caught norovirus, Cole said the rest of his family has avoided it.

“I would appreciate that passing over our home,” Cole said. “If it takes blood on the lintel, I’m not beyond doing that.”