COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
I know everyone wants to be done with COVID-19. But unfortunately, it is not done with us. Last week saw spikes in cases worldwide, including on campus, due in great part to the increased transmissibility of omicron.
However, this is not a reason to give up on safety measures or enjoying the holidays. On the contrary, staying committed to safety measures is the key to happy and safe festivities. Gathering outdoors when possible, wearing masks when indoors, washing your hands, and keeping your distance in public spaces will protect you and your loved ones from all COVID-19 variants, including omicron.
The other thing you can do to move us all closer to the end of this pandemic is to encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to get boosters and vaccinate their children.
I know it’s been a long road, but as the wise Mahatma Gandhi once said, “To lose patience is to lose the battle.”
This will be our last newsletter of 2021, so I wish all of you a happy holiday and new year. We look forward to sharing more health and wellness news in 2022. For now, be safe and stay well.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
SPRING SEMESTERPlease pay attention to the plans for keeping us safe as we begin the spring semester and students return to campus in January. President Frenk’s recent message shared important reminders and you should check the University’s COVID-19 website
frequently as requirements may change in response to developments over the next couple of weeks. Right now, the mask mandate will remain in place for the spring semester for everyone’s safety. Also, returning residential students will be required to get a COVID-19 test within 48 hours of arrival on campus in January. Flu shots are required, and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are strongly encouraged. The vaccination rate on campus informs safety protocol decisions, so please let us know when you get vaccinated, if you have not done so already.
In addition, please make sure that you follow all CDC guidelines regarding international travel. For example, if you travel by air, you will be required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than one day before travel, regardless of vaccination status. Since the omicron variant is spreading rapidly, particularly abroad, these guidelines may quickly change, so check the CDC site before traveling.
SARS-CoV-2 EVOLUTIONScientists are looking to endemic coronaviruses like 229E to figure out how the SARS-CoV-2 may mutate next and what that means for the future of this pandemic. 229E causes a seasonal cold that humans repeatedly get over their lifetime because the virus continuously mutates to evade the human immune response so it can survive. Learning how to predict what the virus will do next to avoid immunity will help determine if and how often our vaccines will need to be updated.
Studying the virus’ mutations may also shed light on whether it is taking the course of other coronaviruses and becoming less severe. And, while some scientists believe this is what SARS-CoV-2 will do eventually, it is not a certainty.
Another wildcard is the low vaccination rate in developing countries and minimal control measures in countries like the United States. This creates a favorable environment for increased mutation and evolutionary leaps.
The takeaway—don’t assume that COVID-19 is mutating to become less severe or that we will have to get boosters every six months forever. The truth is that we still have a lot to learn about this virus, and its variants, and the best thing we can do is to keep wearing masks and get everyone vaccinated.
MASKS ARE SAFE FOR CHILDRENWe continue to collect data on the effectiveness and safety of wearing masks. The CDC recently updated their science brief on wearing masks to include several studies involving children. Several large studies of school districts in the country correlated mandated mask use with lower incidences of COVID-19 outbreaks. For instance, one study of more than 1,000 schools in Arizona showed that “odds of a school-associated COVID-19 outbreak in schools without a mask requirement were 3.5 times higher than those in schools with an early mask requirement.”
Regarding mask safety, the CDC reported that “a study of 60 elementary school children reported no adverse cardiovascular (e.g., heart rate) or pulmonary (e.g., peripheral oxygen saturation) effects among children while wearing a cloth face-covering in a classroom for 30 consecutive minutes of instructional time” and that “a separate study observed no oxygen desaturation or respiratory distress after 60 minutes of monitoring among children less than two years of age when masked during normal play.”
BE KINDDuring even non-pandemic holiday seasons, frontline workers like those in grocery and retail stores often deal with upset customers and stressful situations. This year, they also have to take the brunt of COVID-19-related frustration, which is causing a deterioration in the mental well-being of this crucial workforce. Of 3,344 grocery store workers surveyed in Arizona, more than 30 percent reported either severe or moderate levels of mental distress. So remember this the next time you are in line at a store. A kind word can have the power to turn someone’s awful day into a good one.
HOPE FOR THE NEW YEAR One year ago this week, the first person was inoculated with the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and, although the average daily deaths due to COVID-19 were hovering around 2,500, many of us rang in the new year sure that 2021 was going to be better than 2020.
2021 had many surprises in store, and one could debate that this year was not much better than the last. However, 2021 was an improvement in many ways, and so will be 2022. Thanks to the advancements of science, including vaccines, therapeutics, and genomic sequencing, we have the tools to put an end to this pandemic. We can prevent severe illness and better treat it when it occurs. Also, we can see changes in the virus earlier than ever before. Yes, the virus is unpredictable, but it is no match for human determination and ingenuity. For that reason, and so many others, I have hope for the new year.
Take care of your family and friends—and yourself! |
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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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