All My Random Thoughts in One Colorful Place
Noro-Hell
So, there’s this crazy “norovirus” going around my campus. The school seems to be denying the fact that it’s really just food poisoning from the cafeteria. A look at WebMD clearly states that a “norovirus” is the stomach flu and can also be called food poisoning. The provost has sent us a barrage of e-mails keeping us “updated” on the status. In one e-mail the provost states that the it is not food poisoning but a “norovirus”. I don’t get it. WebMD also describes that “noroviruses” spread through lettuce. Hm. I don’t think my fellow resident students are keeping contaminated vegetables in their rooms. Student government members are also contacting people on facebook and demanding they take down anything that says they contracted food poisoning.
Over 100 students have contracted the virus. A regular night on campus last week meant seeing flashing lights from the 15 or so ambulances that acted like buses for us to get to the ER. The Morristown hospital was so overwhelmed they began refusing admittance and instructed students to go to another hospital. I remember looking at my friends face and seeing strange freckles. Nope, those were broken blood vessels from vomiting for over 7 hours.
Yet, despite all this, we still have class on Monday. Oh yea, the fitness center and the pool are closed. Cleaning crews were called in for every building and classrooms. You have to use sanitizing liquid to enter the cafeteria and use the computer labs now as well. The only plus side is you can get free hand sanitizer. Big bottles too.
This article pretty much sums it all up (includes great quotes from our incredibly honest students).
I feel like shit right now but I can’t seem to sleep so I thought I’d write.
UPDATE: The story is being reported all over the country. Google does a great job of indexing all these news stories here.
Technorati Tags: norovirus, news, college, epidemic, new jersey
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about 3 years ago
Hope you’re feeling better, soon.
This whole thing is just bullshit. It started a week ago. If they had taken care of it as soon as it began, this situation wouldn’t be happening. Frankly, if I had known a serious virus was going around, I probably would have visited another weekend.
When I attended FDU, the food regularly made me ill. And each time I visit, if I eat a single meal at the cafeteria, I still become sick to my stomach. This does not happen if we order out, or go to SNAX or The Grill (though The Grill doesn’t have stupendous food, either). Something’s really wrong with the cafeteria.
I’m going to be pretty pissed off if I get sick when I go home.