COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
This time last year, Miami-Dade County recorded its first confirmed case of COVID-19. It turned out to be the start of an unprecedented time in our history. The University extended spring break and then subsequently moved to all remote learning, uncertain of what the future had in store. Our health system refocused its attention to treat coronavirus patients along with all others. It really is hard to believe it has been a year.
To open the campus back up in the fall, our students, staff, and faculty committed to slowing the spread of the virus. We all masked up, stayed physically distanced, and washed our hands. There have been some hiccups along the way, but we have been mostly successful. And I couldn’t be more proud of all of you and the commitments you’ve made to keep one another safe.
Today, the future feels much less uncertain. Nearly 32 million Americans have been fully vaccinated, with millions more getting their shots each day.
The next two months will be crucial in really getting us to the finish line. If you begin to feel discouraged, remember what it was like a year ago and how far we’ve come by working together for our greater community.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
A HINT OF GOOD THINGS TO COMEThis week, the CDC released welcome guidance for fully vaccinated asymptomatic people, or for whom it’s been more than two weeks since their second dose of the mRNA vaccines or the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. To this end, we now will not require quarantine and testing of asymptomatic individuals who have been fully vaccinated and who are identified as close contacts through contact tracing. This is similar to what we are doing for those who are within 90 days of a COVID-positive test.
If you have been vaccinated outside of Florida, please upload your proof of vaccination to your MyUHealth Chart. If you were vaccinated at the University of Miami or anywhere in Florida, we will have the information from the state.
However, fully vaccinated people should still wear masks, physically distance in public, and avoid medium to large crowds. Remember, we still can protect ourselves from variant viruses by wearing masks and keeping physically distant.
ON-CAMPUS VACCINATIONS – WAITING FOR GODOT? DON’T! Since January, we have not been able to proceed with the vaccination of faculty, staff, and students due to the lack of vaccines from the state and strict guidelines. We are limited to what the state supplies to us, and we are not given any notice about the quantity we may receive or when. If you know a colleague who has received a vaccine, it is likely because they are a UHealth patient and received the vaccine because of their comorbidities, or they received the vaccine outside of UHealth.
We have received vaccines sporadically and have been mandated by state regulations to provide them only to select groups, such as those with comorbidities and patients at UHealth.
Given that we have such limited supply and must follow such strict guidelines, I would encourage anyone who can get a vaccine in the community to do so. There are multiple local sites where you may be able to get vaccinated sooner. Check the vaccine locator for other sites.
STATE ELIGIBILITY Teachers in higher education are not recognized by the state as an eligible group at this time. As of right now, if you fall into these groups, you are eligible:
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Persons 65 years of age and older
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Persons under 65 deemed medically vulnerable* by a physician (form required)
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Health care personnel with direct patient contact
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Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
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Persons deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 by hospital providers
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Sworn law enforcement officers and firefighters 50 years of age and older
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K-12 school employees 50 years of age and older
A PANDEMIC OF KINDNESS This week I was sent a wonderful email from Dr. Vance Lemmon. Last week, my challenge inspired he and his family to make delicious-looking chocolate chip cookies and deliver them to his friend and triplet sons. It may seem like a small gesture, but it can mean so much in times like these. |
| It gave me so much joy that I wanted to share it with you. And it gave me an idea. Send me an appropriate picture (covidCMO@miami.edu) and tell me about your act of kindness, and I will feature it in this weekly email (with your permission of course). No act is too small. |
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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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