COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
As we start a second year of living with COVID-19, there are a couple of things that are clear: Number one, SARS-CoV-2 is a cagey virus and, in many ways, still a mystery, and number two, it is still no match for human ingenuity.
The extraordinary cooperative effort among biologists, virologists, public health experts, manufacturing teams, and others led to the creation of effective vaccines in record-breaking time. With new steps by the federal government, there are positive signs that all adults who want a vaccine will get one by the summer.
That is why, even when things seem overwhelming or disheartening, I genuinely believe we will beat this virus. Until then, remember to spread kindness, not COVID. Wear your mask and practice distancing. Read further for some ideas on how to spread kindness.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
AND THEN THERE WERE THREELast week the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine received an emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Unlike the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, the J&J vaccine is a single-dose shot. It is also a viral vector vaccine, whereas the other two are mRNA vaccines. This distinction has to do with the mode of delivery. All three of the vaccines deliver “instructions” for the body to create cells with the COVID-19 spike protein that trick the body into creating immune cells to fight the virus. However, the J&J vaccine uses weakened adenovirus cells to transport those “instructions,” and the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA material encased in “fat bubbles.”
None of the vaccines can infect you with COVID-19, and none of them alter your DNA. And, all three have proven to be very safe.
Even though the J&J vaccine trial reported a slightly lower overall efficacy rate, it still proved highly effective at eliminating serious illness and hospitalization, so people should get whatever vaccine is available to them at the time. You mustn’t wait.
MORE COVID-19 FAQS If you have allergies, should you get the vaccine?
In general, people with allergies should get the vaccine. However, the CDC now says people who are allergic to polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate should not get the vaccine. Polysorbate is not an ingredient in the vaccines but is closely related to PEG, which is in the mRNA vaccines. The CDC also recommends talking to your doctor before getting the vaccine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to any vaccine.
Should I be worried about anaphylaxis caused by the mRNA vaccines?
Anaphylaxis, an extreme allergic reaction that is very dangerous, following COVID-19 vaccination is extremely rare. The CDC says that it has occurred in approximately two to five people per one million vaccinated in the United States based on events reported to them. This type of allergic reaction generally happens within 30 minutes of vaccination and can be quickly treated.
How long does immunity last?
Since our knowledge of the virus itself is not much longer than a year, the answer to this is not yet known. Studies are underway.
SOUTH FLORIDA VARIANT UPDATE Researchers here at the University are working to detect variants of the novel coronavirus in our community. They report that in the past two weeks, out of the 500 samples analyzed, approximately 25 percent of COVID-19 positive patients had the more contagious U.K. variant. They also found three samples of the Brazilian variant, which could be one of the first times that strain has been identified in South Florida.
KEEP THAT AIR MOVING It makes sense that proper air circulation would help reduce exposure to an airborne virus like SARS-CoV-2. When you are outside, the wind helps to dissipate the virus particles. However, inside there is no wind, so the CDC recommends improving air circulation as a mitigation strategy combined with wearing face masks and physically distancing.
COVID-19 ACTS OF KINDNESS
An interesting but heavy read is Rebecca Costa’s 2010 book, The Watchman’s Rattle. It analyzes why civilizations become extinct. Basically, those who cannot deal with the complexity of problems they face, otherwise referred to as a “cognitive threshold,” are doomed. One way to counteract the complexity of the world is to break it down and perform acts of kindness. We could all use a little kindness in our lives and it causes a chain reaction. “Acts of kindness never die. They linger in the memory, giving life to other acts in return,” wrote Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. Performing random acts of kindness positively affects you just as much as the person receiving them, perhaps even more. Here are some COVID-19-related acts of kindness. I challenge
you to try at least one this week and come up with some of your own.
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Wave at 10 people. It sounds silly, but since we can’t see each other smile, this is one way to make up for that.
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Pay for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop or in the drive-through.
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Offer to mow your neighbor’s lawn.
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Compliment a stranger.
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Leave your postal worker a thank you note.
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We will share more health and wellness news in the next edition. |
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COVID-19 RESOURCES
Students, faculty, and staff on the Coral Gables and Marine campuses who are experiencing possible symptoms consistent with, or who have been potentially exposed to, COVID-19 should contact the University's COVID-19 hotline at 305-243-ONE-U, where UHealth physicians and providers are available to answer your questions and provide telemedicine services if needed.
Members of the Medical Campus should contact 305-243-8378.
For additional University of Miami COVID-19 information and resources, visit coronavirus.miami.edu.
If you are a student in distress or need counseling services, the Counseling Center provides mental health services through HIPAA-compliant teleconferencing platforms. Counselors are certified and available to help any time by calling 305-284-5511. Additional resources are also available by visiting counseling.studentaffairs.miami.edu.
If you are a faculty or staff members in need of support visit fsap.miami.edu. |
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