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Health & Wellness Education & Promotion
As part of Student Health and Wellness in Student Affairs, the Education and Promotion service provides current information and resources on many different aspects of health and promotes awareness of healthy behaviors and attitudes that can positively affect your health.
Topic of the Month:
H1N1 Campus Flu Vaccine Clinic Update 10-30-09
As you may have heard or seen in the media, shipment of H1N1 vaccine has been delayed due to slower than expected production. It now appears likely that sufficient quantities of vaccine will not be available before late November to early December. We are working with local health authorities and the Seattle campus to coordinate a clinic at the earliest possible date; at this time, we are suspending plans for the clinic on November 17th and 18th.
Once we have confirmation of vaccine availability, and can confirm dates for the clinic, we will provide information about days/times/location, and other information regarding our plan for immunizing the campus community.
We will continue to provide information about the virus as it is available to us, posting it on the UW Tacoma Issues website: http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/issues/h1n1/.
Additional information may be found on the University's flu website: www.uw.edu/flu
and on the Student Health & Wellness website: http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/studentaffairs/SHW/.
The best guidance for staying healthy continues to be the same we've provided since the virus first appeared: wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer, cover coughs and sneezes, and please stay home if you become ill. Please report all cases of H1N1 flu to either Student Health & Wellness (students) or Human Resources (faculty, staff), and watch for further updates.
H1N1 Campus Flu Vaccine Clinic
UW Tacoma's Department of Student Health & Wellness is finalizing plans with Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department for the roll-out of a two-day H1N1 immunization clinic to be held on campus. Currently, this clinic is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, November 17th and Wednesday, November 18th, from 12:00 noon to 6:00 p.m. at Longshoreman's Hall. These dates may need to be adjusted to accommodate delays in vaccine availability due to slower-than-expected national production and distribution. We will update the campus if/when such changes become necessary.
CDC and County Health guidelines allow us to make the vaccine available to the following groups:
- Anyone from 6 months through 24 years of age
- Pregnant women
- Anyone 25-64 years of age with a weakened immune system or certain chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and some neurological disorders
- Anyone who lives with or cares for infants younger than 6 months of age
We encourage all members of the campus community who fit within these categories to plan to get vaccinated against H1N1, either through their health care providers, or at our scheduled flu clinics. H1N1 flu shots should be readily available through health care providers to all other groups, including healthy adults 25 and older, once supplies of vaccine increase.
Fees for vaccination will be as follows:
- Students - no fee (fee will be covered by Division of Student Affairs)
- Dependents, faculty/staff, and other UWT community members in above groups - $10
H1N1 (The Swine Flu): What You Need to Know
As we learn daily new information about H1N1 (the Swine Flu), please keep in mind several important facts:
- H1N1 is spread through contact with an infected person or a contaminated surface.
- Regular flu shot does not safeguard against the H1N1, but can be given in conjunction with the H1N1 vaccine. A vaccine against H1N1 is being produced and will be available in the coming months as an option for the prevention of H1N1 flu.
- General prevention efforts that decrease the spread of other types of influenza are also helpful for preventing the spread of H1N1. These include frequent hand washing, covering your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing, and staying home when you have flu-like symptoms.
If you have signs or symptoms of the flu, please stay home!
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Headache
- Muscle Aches
- Tiredness/Weakness
- Sudden Onset of Extreme Exhaustion
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
The most reliable information about H1N1 can be found at the Center for Disease Control website: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu
For more information specific to Pierce County, visit: www.tpchd.org
Reading about H1N1 can be anxiety-provoking. For tips on how to decrease your worries, please read the American Psychological Association's (APA) guide at: www.apahelpcenter.org
There are everyday actions people can take to stay healthy and help prevent flu:
- HANDWASHING - washing often with soap and water or using an alcohol-based sanitizer
- Cover mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing then dispose of the tissue and wash your hands
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
If you are sick, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others; you are contagious for as much as 7 days after you get sick with flu.
Practice good health habits, get plenty of sleep, stay physically active, eat well/drink plenty of fluids, and manage stress.
Where to buy disaster supplies: www.washington.edu/emergency/prepare/supplies.php
If you are experiencing flu like symptoms, such as fever and cough, please contact your health care provider, and if you are a UW Tacoma student, please report your condition to the office of Student Health and Wellness at 253-692-4522. If you are a staff member please report to Human Resources 253-692-5669.
