Greek Life fights spread of H1N1

Houses are taking precautions to prevent the virus from spreading.

By Christian Losciale

Published Sept. 11, 2009

Correction appended

Amy Davis, a sophomore living in the Kappa Alpha Theta house, became sick last week. To keep her from spreading her virus, which showed symptoms of swine flu, her sisters and house mom took precautions.

"My house mom gave me hand sanitizers and Clorox wipes to clean down my room because obviously I could be spreading it," Davis said. "Since I was sick and had to stay in my room, (my sisters) were bringing me food and drinks."

Davis' chapter house is among 14 taking preventative measures to keep the H1N1 virus from spreading. MU Panhellenic Assocation President Caroline Vastyan said chapter houses are distributing tissues and hand sanitizers and posting signs to remind sorority women to wash their hands.

Sorority chapter houses accommodate anywhere from 60 to 90 women. Up to four women might share a room, but Vastyan said nobody is worried about H1N1.

"I think everybody understands that this is similar to the normal flu," she said.

Fraternity chapter houses are taking similar measures, Interfraternity Council President Danny Jonas said. Hand sanitizer dispensers are being placed in doorways and house occupants are encouraged to wash their hands. Jonas said the IFC, which consists of 24 chapter houses with about 2,000 total students, sent a letter to chapters.

"What we're sending out is basically the same thing the chancellor sent," he said.

In an e-mail to students last week, Chancellor Brady Deaton advised students who feel sick to not attend class and to call the Student Health Center or a family doctor to determine the severity of the symptoms. In the e-mail, Deaton said the Center for Disease Control estimated 30 to 50 percent of the population could be affected by the H1N1 virus.

MU spokesman Christian Basi said sororities and fraternities follow their own guidelines in preventing a H1N1 outbreak. The university cannot get a definitive head count for students with H1N1, Basi said, because the only source for such a number is the Student Health Center. Because students could be going to a clinic, family doctor or self-diagnosing, there is no way to determine a number. Any number from the Student Health Center would not account for faculty and staff.

Basi said although about 50 students — about 0.002 percent of the student population — got the H1N1 virus during the first week of classes, it is likely they are better.

Davis said she called the Student Health Center when she first felt sick and told a nurse her symptoms: fever, headache and coughing. The Health Center sent Davis an e-mail for her to forward to professors telling them she was ill. Davis said in her case getting the flu fostered a bonding environment.

"Everybody was texting me to see how I felt," she said. "One of the jobs of the house mom is to take care of us. She was able to act as my mom. It was like a home away from home."