Doctor warns metro Atlanta colleges, students to take precautions to avoid monkeypox

ATLANTA — A local doctor is warning not just students, but also universities, saying they need to take precautions as the state reached 1,000 cases of monkeypox and how the virus could spread among college students.

“Definitely makes me nervous,” student Maral Garmroudi told Channel 2′s Candace McCowan.

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It’s back to the classroom for Garmroudi.

In the last two years, she had COVID-19 precautions to work around. Now, as she’s starting her junior year, she’s thinking about the latest health threat, monkeypox.

“Definitely be more cautious, not go to areas where people are close to each other, less parties, more secluded areas,” she said.

Channel 2 spoke with Grady Health System infectious disease specialist, Dr. Jonathan Colasanti who said it is smart to take precautions.

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First, he says every student should understand how monkeypox spreads: through prolonged skin-to-skin contact or by encountering soiled sheets.

He’s warning students to take heed.

“What I would emphasize is if you are sitting on other people’s beds that you just don’t know, that you would want to be fully clothed,” Colasanti said. “If you’re going to be at large parties and in close quarters, again having the skin covered can be very helpful.”

He’s also warning universities to be prepared by having adequate testing and more.

“Also, have processes where those students can easily identify themselves if they’re concerned they may be at risk,” Colasanti said. “Educational institutions need to think about how they’ll accommodate those students who may need prolonged isolation for potentially weeks.”

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Students such as Maral are accustomed to health threats and are ready to make sacrifices to be safe.

“Just want to get through it, enjoy my degree, but enjoy college as much as I can,” Garmroudi said.

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