University prepares for monkeypox

Taylor Moore
Social Media Editor

If cases of monkeypox arise on campus, the University has safety measures in place to protect the health of the students and faculty.

Juan Regalado, chief student affairs officer, said that if someone displays symptoms of the virus, the University will urge them to stay home and contact their health care provider or the Student Health Center on campus. 

Additionally, the University has isolation rooms that have already been prepared to prevent the spread of COVID and can now be used to stop the spread of monkeypox if need be. 

Regalado said that University officials meet with the Los Angeles County Public Health Department about once a month to go over COVID safety protocols, and these meetings have begun to include discussion of monkeypox as well. 

“We’re not going to put our head in the sand,” Regalado said. “We’re going to continue to watch, monitor and meet with L.A. County Public Health and stay current.”

In May the first case of monkeypox was confirmed in the United Kingdom.

 Since then it has spread to many countries, including the United States which has a current case count of roughly 17,000. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection from the monkeypox virus, similar to smallpox. While the symptoms are similar, monkeypox is more mild and rarely fatal.

According to the University of La Verne’s health website, the disease primarily spreads through skin to skin contact, often involving open skin, such as a cut or a sore. Monkeypox has also been known to spread through sexual contact, though it is not considered a sexually transmitted disease. 

“It’s a lot harder to transmit (than COVID),” Regalado said. “I think the biggest thing to know and remember is that because of COVID, we are probably in a really good place… at being able to manage any possible monkeypox cases or infections.” 

Many of the first symptoms of monkeypox are the same as COVID, such as a cold, fever, body aches, sore throat, headache, cough and nasal congestion. However, when it comes to monkeypox, the main symptoms to watch out for are sores and rashes. 

Unlike COVID, there is not a possibility for someone to be asymptomatic with the monkeypox virus. 

For more information about monkeypox, visit cdc.gov or the University’s health website

Taylor Moore can be reached at taylor.moore@laverne.edu.

Other Stories

Taylor Moore is a junior broadcast journalism major and LV Life editor for Spring 2023. In her fourth semester on Campus Times, this is her second time serving as LV Life editor. She has also served as social media editor and staff writer.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Stories

Related articles

La Verne reflects on its artful past

University of La Verne staff and faculty introduced “An Artful Reframing,” a collaborative effort to reflect on the University's history and shine a light on previously underrepresented voices, before about 25 community members in the Campus Center Ballroom Monday, with 19 more who joined via Zoom. 

Campus has tepid interest in new Omicron booster

A recent informal survey on campus found that nine out of 21 students at the University of La Verne did not know anything about the newly updated  Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster that has been available since early September.

Mental health troubles spare no gender, age or lifestyle

The deaths of country singer Naomi Judd and Kailia Posey, who appeared in the TLC show “Toddlers & Tiaras,” expose the greater need to treat mental health more seriously and quickly. 

High schools prepare for later start in 2022-23

In accordance with a new California law, Senate Bill 328, middle schools and high schools across California will change their start times for the 2022-2023 school year.