Monkeypox Concerns on Campus: Colleges Offer Guidance and Protocols

As the hustle and bustle of campus life starts up again at schools across the area, viruses are still something students have to deal with.

After two and a half years of COVID-19, now monkeypox could pose a problem as well.

"Just because it’s not as easily spread as COVID was it’s not as talked about," said Jules Stureman, a college senior at Boston University. "People aren’t freaking out as much, it’s not like you’re going to go to class and be at high risk for contracting it."

Many schools like Tufts, Harvard, BU, and UMass Amherst are all telling students if they have monkeypox they’re to isolate.

Boston University is offering students private rooms and bathrooms if they have a confirmed case.

UMass campuses in Amherst and Boston are among the schools offering testing for the virus.

UMass Boston said all school clinicians have completed courses on the diagnosis and treatment of monkeypox.

"It’s really too soon to say whether schools are doing enough," said Rachel Cox, a professor at MGH Institute of Health Professions.

She said there are things schools should be doing to make sure monkeypox doesn’t disrupt the fall semester, including COVID-like cleaning and sanitation protocols, providing access to testing, vaccines and medications, and providing isolation locations without adding to the stigma.

“It has to be non-identifiable," said Cox. "It couldn’t be like a monkeypox dorm for example. There shouldn’t be any label associated in order to respect students' privacy."

What is monkeypox?

Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research — resulting in its name.

The first case in a human was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which still has the majority of infections. Other African countries where it has been found: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo and Sierra Leone.

Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox, the CDC says. It presents itself as a flu-like illness accompanied by lymph-node swelling and rash on the face and body.

Monkeypox starts off with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Monkeypox also causes lymph nodes to swell, something that smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days.

The CDC is urging healthcare providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox, regardless of whether they have traveled or have specific risks for monkeypox. See more information from the travel notice here.

How do you catch monkeypox?

The CDC issued new monkeypox guidance earlier this month as the number of suspected cases nationwide boomed, marking America's largest-ever outbreak of monkeypox, which typically has been confined to other continents.

While the CDC says the risk to the general public remains low, people are urged to avoid close contact with those who are sick, including those with skin or genital lesions, as well as sick or dead animals. Anyone displaying symptoms, like unexplained skin rash or lesions, should reach out to their healthcare providers for guidance.

What you should do if you think you might have monkeypox

Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to their healthcare provider, even if they don’t think they had contact with someone who has monkeypox. According to the CDC, people who may be at higher risk might include but are not limited to those who:

1. Had contact with someone who had a rash that looks like monkeypox or someone who was diagnosed with confirmed or probable monkeypox
2. Had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, this includes men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, app or social event
3. Traveled outside the U.S. to a country with confirmed cases of monkeypox or where monkeypox activity has been ongoing
4. Had contact with a dead or live wild animal or exotic pet that exists only in Africa or used a product derived from such animals

What are the symptoms of monkeypox?

Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox, the CDC says. It presents itself as a flu-like illness accompanied by lymph-node swelling and rash on the face and body.

Monkeypox starts off with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Monkeypox also causes lymph nodes to swell, something that smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7 to 14 days but can range from 5 to 21 days.

The CDC is urging healthcare providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox, regardless of whether they have traveled or have specific risks for monkeypox. See more information from the travel notice here.