As the weather turns cold and students dig out their jackets and scarves, another aspect of the season rears its ugly head -- winter colds and flu.
"[Last] month was the highest number of patients we've seen in eight years during September," saidJoe Chance, the general director of medicine at the Elson Student Health Center.
Chance said many of these student visits were due to respiratory infections such as the common cold.
Currently suffering from the common cold himself, Chance offered some information to help keep students healthy.
He explained that the common cold spreads more quickly during the winter for a variety of reasons, the primary one being that students spend more time indoors, increasing close contact with each other.
He also said there is a theory that the cold and flu viruses operate more efficiently in the cold.
Chance suggests that students wash their hands frequently as their number one defense against germs, as cold and flu viruses are generally spread through touching rather than sneezing or coughing.
Aside from washing hands, students may receive flu shots Thursday, Nov. 6 in Newcomb Hall. Chance explained that cold shots are not available because the common cold can be caused by as many as 500 different viruses, while the flu is caused by two or three viruses each year.
Approximately 4,000 students received flu shots last year through the University, Chance said. Complaints about long lines to get the shot have resulted in hiring a different company to administer the shots this year. Chance said he hopes the wait will be much shorter as a result.
Some students inevitably will get a cold this season, so for those students, Chance recommends they take care of themselves. He advises students to eat healthy foods and get enough sleep.
Furthermore, he said there is nothing that can be done to hasten the end of a cold.
"It's going to take as long as it takes," he said.
Yet, students who experience temperatures above 101 degrees, have facial swelling, have a toothache, have symptoms for longer than two weeks or have recovery followed immediately by more illness should contact the Student Health Center because they may have sinus infections, according to Chance.
Chance reminded students that antibiotics will not help the common cold, so they must simply take care of themselves and wait for the cold to be over.
Chance has had a cold for about 10 days.
"I would have nipped mine in the bud 10 days ago if I could have," he said. "There's no way to nip it in the bud."
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