COVID-19 Health and Wellness Information |
With cases continuing to decline in South Florida, in-person classes will resume as we announced on Monday, Jan. 31. As a reminder, masks are mandatory on campus. Since single-layer cloth masks are not considered protective against the omicron variant, surgical masks or multi-layered, tightly woven cloth masks must be used. Masks should fit snugly, cover the nose and mouth, and preferably have an adjustable wire nose bridge.
Surgical masks are available at various locations on all of our campuses. And, beginning next week, free N95s should be available at local pharmacies.
If you have not done so already, you can still sign up at covidtests.gov to get four free at-home tests per household. It is a straightforward form and takes only minutes to complete.
As has always been the case, human behavior is the primary driver of COVID-19 transmission. You have the power to impact the trajectory of this pandemic, so remain vigilant by wearing masks, staying up-to-date with the vaccines, staying home and getting tested if you feel sick or have been exposed, and avoiding crowds.
We’ll constantly be monitoring the situation and will update you as needed.
Roy E. Weiss, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Medicine
Chair, Department of Medicine
Chief Medical Officer for COVID-19 |
VACCINATION CLINIC FOR STUDENTSThe University is partnering with Walgreens to provide a convenient, on-campus COVID-19 vaccination clinic for University of Miami students. The clinic, located in a large tent between the Herbert Wellness Center and The Lennar Foundation Medical Center, will be available on Thursdays through the middle of February. Students can schedule an appointment by visiting this link: wagsoutreach.com/ss/STU959210. |
MILD OR MODERATE?The CDC recommends isolating for a longer period (10 days) if you were “moderately ill” with COVID-19. For those with mild illness, the agency recommends five days after symptom onset as long as you have been fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Here is the difference between mild and moderate COVID-19 illness:
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Mild: fever, cough, sore throat, malaise, headache, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of taste and smell (any one of these or a combination)
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Moderate: the above symptoms AND evidence of lower respiratory disease such as shortness of breath, dyspnea (labored breathing), or abnormal chest imaging
Your physician will advise you on how long you should remain isolated.
WHEN IS IT OVER?As we enter the third year of living with COVID-19, you may be wondering, “How will we know when the pandemic is over?” The answer to this is not as simple as you or I would like. First, “over” is a bit of a subjective term. We will likely always have to be concerned with COVID-19, the same as with the flu. But there will be a time, hopefully in the near future, when vaccination and therapeutics will allow us to move from containment to management. However, unconstrained spread puts that at risk. The more SARS-CoV-2 transmits, the more opportunities it has to mutate. This is why global vaccination is so important. We share this planet, and we are not safe until everyone is safe.
KILLER Ts Most of the research on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness focuses on creating neutralizing antibodies that can keep you from getting infected. However, that is only one player in our immune response. Killer T-cells seek out and destroy cells already infected with the virus. Having fewer infected cells may mean that a virus cannot spread to other areas of the body and may limit your ability to spread COVID-19. According to new research, the vaccines prompt the immune system to create T-cells. They may be more resistant than antibodies to threats posed by emerging variants, including omicron.
HARNESS UNCERTAINTY Last week I wrote about the importance of hope. I know that hope may be difficult when faced with such uncertainty. But have you ever considered that uncertainty could be a reason to be hopeful? An uncertain future is an undecided one, which isn’t necessarily bad. It’s a future full of various possibilities, including the potential for success. There is uncertainty in most things; my guess is that we would all be bored if we knew what was going to happen all the time. Remember that uncertainty leads to extraordinary opportunity and potential and that becoming comfortable with uncertainty can lead to personal growth and success. |
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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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