When your roommate gets sick...

Illnesses can spread quickly in dorms and other living groups, but don’t panic. Here’s what you can do to stay healthy:

  • Clean your hands. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Don't share towels. 
  • Clean common surfaces. Use a standard household disinfectant, and wash your hands after cleaning the area.
  • Be helpful, but safe. Don’t be afraid to help out your roommate while they are ill.
  • Remind sick roommates to keep their germs to themselves. It’s okay to remind a sick roommate (nicely, of course!) to cover coughs and sneezes and to clean their hands frequently (especially after coughing, sneezing, or tossing a used tissue in the trash).

Monitor yourself closely for the development of symptoms for seven days after contact with your sick roommate. If you develop a fever, cough, sore throat, or other symptoms of illness, call MIT Health at 617-253-4481 to speak with a clinician and get advice about what to do next.