COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
It is hard to believe that this marks the second Thanksgiving that I have sent out this newsletter. This year we have so much to be thankful for. Anyone in the United States age five or older can get a vaccine to protect them from this dangerous disease. Children are back to in-person learning, and we are back to having on-campus events, with safety measures in place. This year, many of us will be able to gather safely together with vaccinated friends and family for Thanksgiving.
It’s an excellent time to give thanks and show gratitude for all the progress we have made and reflect on the more than 762,000 Americans who we lost to this virus. Also, if you know anyone who is still not vaccinated, please take a moment to talk to them. Your discussion may be the impetus they needed to go ahead and get the vaccine. It’s the most important thing you can do to protect them and move us closer to the end of this pandemic.
Because of the holiday, there will not be a newsletter next Friday. Enjoy the time with your loved ones, and have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
BOOSTERSToday, vaccine advisers to the Centers for Disease Control voted unanimously to recommend booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines for all adults over 18, six months after their primary vaccine series. This comes after the FDA expanded the Emergency Use Authorization for the booster shots for this group. According to the CDC, there has been an increase in hospitalizations in vaccinated people who have not received a booster.
VACCINE HESITANCY AND DEBUNKING MISINFORMATION The Kaiser Family Foundation tracks the general population’s attitudes about the COVID-19 vaccines and recently reported that 78% of adults say they’ve heard at least one piece of misinformation that they either believe is true or are unsure is true. For example:
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MYTH: The government is exaggerating the number of COVID-19 deaths. (38% believe true, 22% not sure)
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FACT: The government does not decide the cause of death. When someone dies, the attending physician or coroner fills out the death certificate. If COVID-19 is listed as the cause of death or a contributing cause, the CDC counts it as a COVID-19 death.
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MYTH: Pregnant women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine. (17% believe true, 22% not sure)
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FACT: The CDC, FDA, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and even boosters in some higher-risk populations. As of September 2021, an estimated 31% of pregnant women have been vaccinated. Also, symptomatic pregnant women with COVID-19 have a 70% increased risk of death compared to non-pregnant women with COVID-19. If a pregnant woman is concerned about vaccination, she should discuss it with her OB-GYN.
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MYTH: The COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to cause infertility. (8% believe true, 23% not sure)
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FACT: Existing data, including a Miller School study in JAMA, show that COVID-19 vaccines do not impact male or female fertility or fertility treatment outcomes. Also, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine has strongly urged that people who would like to have a baby, and even those undergoing fertility treatment, get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Debunking misinformation is the best way to decrease vaccine hesitancy, and people listen to their friends and family members more than anyone else. So, if you hear any of those around the dinner table next week, have a respectful conversation. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has also put out a guide on how best to talk about misinformation.
TALKING TURKEYUnfortunately, many people have family members who will not mask or get vaccinated. As a result, it may be difficult to decide what to do for family holidays. Do you go or stay home? Ultimately, this is a personal choice that may be best made by considering risk. Here are some things that may put you or someone in your household at greater risk:
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Are you over 65 or do you have an underlying medical condition?
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Are you or someone in your household immunocompromised?
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If so, have you or the person in your household received a booster shot?
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What is the current transmission level in your area?
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Do you have children who have not yet been vaccinated?
Another tip: See if you can talk your family into celebrating outdoors.
GRATITUDEEating a ton of food on Thanksgiving perhaps isn’t the healthiest thing but the sentiment behind this holiday is very good for our mental health. A study done of 700 nuns published in 2001 and showed that by analysis of autobiographical notes, the more positive emotions—contentment, gratitude, happiness, love, and hope—the more likely the nuns were to be alive 60 years later. This arguably opened up the science of gratitude research and our understanding of the impact of emotion on physical health.
Subsequently, researchers report that gratitude helps people through the ups and downs of this pandemic. Also, a review
of 13 studies shows that gratitude is good for your heart—in more ways than one. Specifically, it has a positive impact on cardiovascular disease, lowers inflammation, and improves adherence to health behaviors. So, make sure to pause and truly think about your reasons for being thankful. Who knows, maybe it will make you more likely to exercise after eating all that pie. |
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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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