COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
Last week it was wonderful to see another sign of things returning to a semblance of normalcy—the annual Homecoming celebration, including a big win for our Hurricanes, and Alumni Weekend. From the Festival on the Green to fireworks to the football game, our University community enjoyed the festivities safely with precautions in place.
It all went well thanks to your hard work and commitment to your fellow ’Canes. We are surely starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel. However, that doesn’t mean we can or should let down our guard. In fact, it’s evidence that when we do take precautions, such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and practicing distancing, that we can begin to enjoy some of our favorite activities.
Now that we are in the holiday season, the greatest gift we can give one another is health and safety.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
The easing of travel restrictions announced by the federal government is another milestone. People from other countries can now fly to the U.S. if they are fully vaccinated. However, you must also get a COVID-19 viral test and show a negative result to the airline before you board your flight—regardless of vaccination status. If you’re fully vaccinated, the test can be no more than three days before your departure date, and if you do not have proof of vaccination, it can be no more than one day before your flight. If you recently recovered from COVID-19, you may instead travel with documentation of recovery from COVID-19. The rules for U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens are slightly different. For more specifics on which vaccines are accepted and who may be exempt,
review the CDC’s travel assessment tool.
WHO’S WHO This pandemic has brought many different medical and health professionals into our everyday vernacular. Although what they do may appear similar, there are important distinctions between each of their roles. For instance, do you know the difference between an immunologist and an epidemiologist?
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Epidemiologist: Studies health-related states and events—not just diseases—in specified populations to determine causes and distribution
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Immunologist: Studies how the body protects itself from infectious disease and tumors; works on the development of new vaccines and therapies for diseases
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Virologist: Studies viruses that cause infections but may also be a physician who diagnoses, manages, and works to prevent infections in patients
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Infectious disease physician: Diagnoses and manages bacterial, viral, parasitic, or fungal infections in humans
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Public health doctor: May have a medical degree or a public health doctorate; works to improve the health of groups of people
VACCINE SAFETYThe COVID-19 vaccine program is the largest and most closely watched vaccine rollout in U.S. history. More than 432 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in the U.S. between Dec. 14, 2020, and Nov. 8, 2021. We continue to gather data and will do so for years, but the overall message is COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Some things to consider, per the CDC:
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COVID-19 vaccines were evaluated in tens of thousands of people in clinical trials, meeting the FDA’s rigorous standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality.
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Serious safety problems are rare. A small number have experienced anaphylaxis, which can occur after any vaccination, and vaccine providers have medicine to treat that reaction. The other, thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (blood clots with low platelets), is also rare. The known potential benefits of the vaccine outweigh the known potential risks.
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Long-term side effects are unlikely. Historically, side effects generally happen within six weeks of receiving a vaccine dose. Millions of people COVID-19 vaccines and no long-term side effects have been detected.
TURKEY DINNERSYou may have heard a lot in the media about the increasing price of Thanksgiving dinner over last year. While the reporting has focused a lot on the negative, this is another example of life returning to normal. For example, last year, the cost of a Thanksgiving meal decreased by 4 percent due to people not celebrating together because of COVID-19. This year we are all making plans to gather in larger groups.
The rise in food prices is not just a byproduct of inflation, it is also a reminder of how interconnected we and our economy are. There are a lot of logistics and people involved in getting that delicious turkey and mashed potatoes on your plate. For instance, turkey prices are higher because corn feed was more expensive due to drought last year, limiting production.
The takeaway—this year, there is much to be grateful for, so don’t let the news about the price of Thanksgiving dinner get you down. It’s more important to enjoy the company of loved ones than to focus on what is on your plate.
COVID TIME CAPSULE All across the country, time capsules are being buried to commemorate the COVID-19 experience. Universities, towns, and other organizations are collecting memorabilia and placing it in containers to be unearthed sometime in the distant future. Examples of items that are being included are toilet paper, masks, texts and other communications from the early days, six-foot measuring tapes (for social distancing), and other various artifacts.
So, if you were to build a COVID time capsule, what would you include? Your child’s virtual lesson plan, a Zoom with family across the country, pictures of a makeshift office/school in your home, or your new favorite work sweatpants? Perhaps mulling over this list will make an interesting topic with your friends, family, or co-workers. |
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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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