Team practices and two competitive meets have been postponed for State University of New York (SUNY) New Paltz swimmers this week, as the squad is suffering from a mumps outbreak. The Elting Pool at SUNY New Paltz’s Athletics and Wellness Center has been closed since October 26th, with practices and meets suspended due to at least three team swimmers having been diagnosed with mumps and being subsequently quarantined.
SUNY Athletics, Wellness and Recreation Director Stuart Robinson confirmed that department had ‘suspended swim practices and workouts until Friday, November 4th to allow for time to see if there are any more confirmed cases from other members of the program.’ Last Saturday’s meet against Ramapo College, as well as this weekend’s contest against Hartwick College have both been temporarily canceled.
“The State Health Department indicated that we do not need to close the pool indefinitely and there is minimal risk of transmission. We have disallowed any current members of the swimming program to serve as lifeguards, participate in general aquatics programming or interface with any of the contracted groups [such as the Hawks Swimming Association and New Paltz High School] for the time being,” read the school’s official announcement.
As a respiratory virus, mumps typically causes painful swelling of the salivary glands near ears and under the jaw. Swelling may also attribute to headaches, fever, muscle aches, fatigue and decreased appetite.
According to the New York State Department of Health, some everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of mumps includes the following:
- Do not share food, drinks, utensils or other personal items that may contain saliva.
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue if you sneeze or cough, and discard the tissue after you use it. If a tissue is not available, sneeze or cough into your upper sleeve or elbow, not your hands.
- Clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that may be contaminated with germs.
- People with the mumps should stay home, and away from public places for five days after the onset of symptoms and limit contact with others in their household.
AB
Decreased herd immunity resulting from others not being vaccinated can reduce the effectiveness of a vaccine.
Vaccinate your kids – plain & simple.
IKR? What’s WRONG with people?! VACCINTE: proven to work.
The infected students are all vaccinated. MMR vaccines are required to be in public school in the entire county. I am very pro vaccination, but the mumps vaccine is not 100% effective. Mumps outbreaks can happen in places where people share very close quarters, such as on a sports team where the athletes also live together. It is not unheard of.
You are correct. It has been reported that in high traffic communities, the viral load may be too high for antibodies in the vaccinated people to fight off the virus. The CDC has been researching the efficacy of a booster for people at higher risk. Our IgG antibodies can only do so much work sometimes! 🙂
Agree, but would like to add: I read in another article that the vaccine is 88% effective, and that the infected students had been vaccinated. I’m very-pro vaccinations, but in this case don’t blame the ill.
My poor alma mater : (