CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – Within the next few weeks, you will see more and more students heading to colleges and universities, and more of a chance of people getting sick.
COVID is still a worry on campuses, but monkeypox is also a worry as students return.
“We’re encouraging our students to be visible, look around, make sure everything is okay, and if you’re not, to go visit the health center,” said Dr. Davida Loren Haywood, Vice President of Student Affairs at Johnson C. Smith University.
NC data shows monkeypox vaccine racial disparities
Smith said the university as a whole is approaching the virus a lot like COVID.
“We’re trying to err on the side of caution and keep our campus community educated,” she said.
North Carolina, as of Wednesday, had 122 known cases. Of those, at least 60 are known to be in Mecklenburg County. State demographics show 70% of cases are among Black men, and it is disproportionately affecting gay men, along with other men who have sex with men.
State figures also show that only 24% of the vaccine has been administered to Black men.
The virus can be spread through close and prolonged skin-to-skin contact and through prolonged contact with respiratory droplets with someone who is positive, along with any clothing or bedding that has had prolonged contact with someone who is positive.
Though the virus is not sexually-transmitted, sexual activity is one of the ways it can be spread.
To that end, colleges and universities are making people aware that monkeypox can spread through roommate situations.
Public health officials, though, do stress the chance for it to spread among what is known as “campus hook-up culture”, no matter a person’s sexual orientation.
“Our preparedness team is coordinating a planning session with our institutions of higher learning as they prepare to bring folks back on campus,” said Mecklenburg Co. Health Director Dr. Raynard Washington. “But we’re doing this at the same time we’re preparing for charlotte pride and outbreaks in shelters, for example.”
As far as treatment for those who become positive, it is available, though somewhat cumbersome to actually get.
“The challenge for clinicians is that even though this is the drug to treat it, it’s very difficult to get your hands on it,” said Dr. David Priest with Novant Health.
“We’re just being realistic,” said Dr. Davida Loren Haywood. “I mean, COVID taught us we could put everything into place and someone is going to get ill. I think it’s the response after they get ill that matters.”