What Nashville college students need to know about monkeypox

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Next week, Vanderbilt University students head back to campus. Some say, because of college culture, they are worried about getting monkeypox.

Right now, monkeypox is not much of a concern in Davidson County. Last week, Metro Nashville Public Health Department reported 5 new cases. But Vanderbilt University said they will put a plan in place, including isolating students who get the virus in on-campus housing.

“My first two years have kind of already been plagued by COVID,” said Vanderbilt junior, Jonah Vazquez.

Vazquez has been afraid this year could be plagued by monkeypox, a virus passed by skin-to-skin contact.

“Classes start next week,” Vazquez said. “We don’t really have the time to figure things out.”

So far, Vanderbilt set up this page online for students. They recommend if one gets monkeypox, they should visit the Student Health Center for testing. They also advised that students quarantine at home or in isolation housing until lesions or bumps are gone. Doctors said that could take anywhere from two to four weeks – a large chunk of time for college students.

“Four weeks? A semester is three months,” said Vazquez. “You get monkeypox and you miss effectively a month – and just beyond that, the mental health.”

“Students should consider, if they contract the infection, they may indeed be out of commission for a period of time,” said Dr. William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University Medical Center infectious disease expert.

Schaffner said if a student contracts the virus, it will heal on its own. However, patients should get medical help if the lesions or bumps threaten an organ.

“For example, if they are on the face they could threaten the eye,” said Dr. Schaffner. “Or if they are in the mouth, or if they really affect the genitalia, or if they have inflammation inside the rectum which we call proctitis.”

Schaffner said he’s usually optimistic, but with this virus, he’s worried.

“This monkeypox may be out there so extensively that we can’t stop this epidemic and it may be another virus we have to live with overtime,” said Dr. Schaffner.

He believes in a couple of months we could see how monkeypox affects college campuses and the rest of society.

“I don’t want to spend time in isolation again or just even getting monkeypox,” said Vazquez. “I would like to have a normal school year.”

We reached out to Fisk University, Belmont University, and Tennessee State University to see what precautions they are taking. Belmont is the only university to get back to WSMV4 saying:

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