Three cases of chicken pox have been confirmed at DU, and health officials are encouraging international students or those who have not had the vaccine to go in and get the necessary shots.
“We are most concerned about our international students that might not have been exposed or had the vaccination,” said Dr. Sam Alexander, executive director of the Health and Counseling Center.
He said most domestic students are immune from chicken pox because they were exposed as children or received the vaccine.
No new cases have been reported since last week, but Alexander expects a few more cases due to how contagious the disease is.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if we did [have more cases],” he said. “[But] it’s nothing for people to be afraid of.”
Only those who have never had chicken pox or did not receive the vaccine are at risk. Alexander said it is unusual for those who have already had chicken pox to get the disease again.
He strongly urged students, faculty and staff who fall into that category to get the vaccine. It is free for students who have paid the health and counseling fee and have the student health insurance plan. Those not covered by those plans must pay for the vaccines. The two shots, given one month apart, cost a total of $170.
“If any student has not had chicken pox, and has not been vaccinated against chicken pox, they should get the vaccine,” he said.
Alexander said efforts have been made to inform the international campus community, in particular, about the disease. It is more likely that a student from outside the United States would be from a place where chicken pox is less common or where the vaccine is not offered.
He met with two leaders of the international student community and also drafted an e-mail specifically for people whose first language is not English.
The Health and Counseling Center sent an e-mail to the campus community the same day a student was found to have chicken pox.
The Center has also been in touch with Denver Public Health and the Colorado Department of Health because chicken pox is required to be reported due to its contagiousness.
