Place a cup in a soda dispens­er and about six flies will sur­round the heads of Pace students. Put ketchup into a plastic cup and there they are, two flies swim­ming in their glory. Want yogurt for a quick snack? Not yogurt that has been sitting out uncov­ered for hours and hours so all the flies can feast as they please.

So the real question should be, what germs do flies carry that could potentially be on the food in the cafeteria? The answer comes in multiple parts: typhoid, cholera, salmonella, and other pathogens. Ingesting food or wa­ter that has come in contact with feces of an infected species trans­mits typhoid. Symptoms may in­clude fever, coughing, and diar­rhea. Because of their small size and large intake of food, flies disperse feces constantly. By do­ing this, they can spread typhoid and a multitude of other diseases on any given surface. Cholera is also transferred through consum­ing food or water that contains bacteria from an infected per­son or animal. These symptoms may include heavy diarrhea and vomiting which can cause ex­treme dehydration. Salmonella poisoning can be caused from improperly treated milk, eggs, or various meats. Symptoms that may develop are fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.

What is the simplest solu­tion? Cover the food. It provides peace of mind to young students who are concerned about the food they wish to consume. At the salad bar, yogurt bar, and hot food buffet, plastic coverings would be very beneficial to the Pace community.