Health and Wellness Promotion

• Get the flu vaccine every year.

• Wash your hands after caring for others or animals, before eating or preparing food, before touching your face, after coughing or sneezing, after using the bathroom.

• Wash thoroughly with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Cover your cough: cough or sneeze into a tissue or the inside of your elbow.

• Sanitize things that are touched often, such as door or refrigerator handles, computer keyboards/mouse, phones and water faucets.

• Avoid unnecessary holding, kissing or sharing food, dishes and glasses with anyone who has a cold or the flu.

• Rest. Please stay in your room as much as you can until your fever is below 100 degrees without any medications to reduce transmission.

• Don't forget to eat. Ask a friend to use your ID card to pick up some food for you from the dining hall.

• Keep yourself hydrated. Drink clear fluids such as water, clear soda, teas, broths and juice. Avoid alcohol and caffeine.

• Manage fever: Fever, headaches and muscle aches are common flu symptoms of flu. Although fever may cause worry, it helps the body fight infection and is usually not harmful. In order to decrease your discomfort, try a lukewarm shower, light layered clothing and cool compresses. You can take acetaminophen (Tylenol) 325mg to 1,000mg every 6 hours as needed or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) 200-400mg every 6-8 hours as needed.

• Manage nasal stuffiness: try humidified air, or take pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) 30-60mg every 4-6 hours as needed (no more than 6 tabs in 24 hours) or phenylephrine 5-10mg every 4 hours as needed (no more than 12 tabs in 24 hours).

• Manage sore throat: gargle with salt water, use throat lozenges such a Cepacol or Halls as directed. Hot tea or broth may also provide temporary relief.

• Manage cough: A cough is typically the final symptom of a cold or flu, and will taper off slowly after a week. Try a cool humidifier, or you can use cough syrup with guaifenesin and dextromethorphen (Vicks 44, Robitussin DM, Delsym) according to directions.

Whenever you take your temperature, it is important to remember the following:

• Always clean a thermometer with soap and water before and after each use.

• Every time you take a temperature, write down the time, temperature reading, and the type and amount of medicine taken (if any).

• If you’ve been using medicine to bring down the fever, take your temperature before the next dose is due.

• The length of time to measure a temperature depends on the type of thermometer you use. Read the manufacturer’s instructions for details.

• Do not drink any liquid for at least 15 minutes before taking the temperature.

• Place the thermometer under the tongue towards the back of the mouth. Close your mouth and do not bite down on the thermometer.

• Hold the thermometer for the amount of time written in the manufacturer’s directions.

• Normal temperature ranges, orally (mouth): 95.9°F – 99.5°F

If you have an underlying health condition, such as asthma, diabetes, or are immunocompromised, call the Health Center for an urgent appointment.

Severe dehydration (not having enough fluid in the body) is a medical emergency. A person with severe dehydration may need fluids intravenously (through a needle in the arm) in a clinic or hospital. While you are waiting for medical help, continue to drink fluids in small amounts often.

Get urgent medical care if you have any of these symptoms:

• Difficulty breathing

• Extreme irritability, decreased alertness, speech changes, confusion or unconsciousness

• Muscle weakness and fast heart rate

• A severe sore throat that does not start to improve after two days or with severe throat swelling

• Pain in the neck when bending forward

• Cough with bloody sputum

• Severe headache or severe pain in face or forehead

• Facial swelling

• Recurring fever

• Dark or scant urine

• Unusual rash on body

The cold and flu are both respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different types of viruses. Flu symptoms usually come on quickly (within three to six hours) and consist of a fever, body aches, dry cough and extreme tiredness. Cold symptoms are less severe and typically produce a stuffy nose, productive cough, slight tiredness and limited body aches.

Compare symptoms of influenza and the common cold

Influenza (Flu) and COVID-19 are both contagious respiratory illnesses, but they are caused by different viruses. COVID-19 is caused by infection with a new coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) and flu is caused by infection with influenza viruses. Because some of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, and testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis.

Both COVID-19 and flu can have varying degrees of signs and symptoms, ranging from no symptoms (asymptomatic) to severe symptoms. Common symptoms that COVID-19 and flu share include:

• Fever or feeling feverish/chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Fatigue (tiredness)
• Sore throat
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Muscle pain or body aches
• Headache
• Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults

Other signs and symptoms of COVID-19, different from flu, may include change in or loss of taste or smell.

Source: CDC

• Mass Department of Public Health: Flu Facts

• Centers for Disease Control: Seasonal Influenza

Influenza is a potentially serious disease that can lead to hospitalization and sometimes even death. Every flu season is different, and influenza infection can affect people differently, but millions of people get flu every year, hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized and thousands to tens of thousands of people die from flu-related causes every year. (Source: CDC)

In the spring of 2020, 54.5% of undergraduate and graduate students who reported having the flu said it negatively impacted their academic performance in a class or delayed their progress toward a degree. (Source: National College Health Assessment) 

An annual seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to help protect against flu.

In 2020, it is especially important to get the flu vaccine because of the similiarities in symptoms between COVID-19 and the flu. If someone shows symptoms of a respiratory illness, they will need to be tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they have a negative COVID-19 test. Those who have the flu may require medical attention or hospitalization. For these reasons, higher rates of flu in the population will place additional strain on our healthcare resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Massachusetts now requires the influenza vaccine for all full-time undergraduate and graduate students under 30 years of age. (Medical or religious exemptions are allowable).

You should get a flu vaccine before flu viruses begin spreading in your community, since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body and provide protection against flu. Make plans to get vaccinated early in fall, before flu season begins. CDC recommends that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October.

Massachusetts now requires the influenza vaccine for all full-time undergraduate and graduate students under 30 years of age. At Brandeis, flu shots will become part of the Campus Passport status on November 1, 2020: All students who will be on campus are required to document their flu shot status in the portal as a part of our COVID-19 health and safety measures on campus.

Flu shots will be available on campus at both COVID-19 testing sites: the Shapiro Admissions Center and the Heller School building. The clinics will be open October 5 through 16, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m.

On or near campus

Students on or near the Brandeis campus can get their flu shots at both of our COVID-19 testing sites: The Shapiro Admissions Center and the Heller School building. The clinics will be open October 5 through 16, Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m. You will be able to receive both your COVID-19 test and your flu shot in one location: it couldn’t be easier!

Flu shot sign up is now part of the Campus Passport Portal. To sign up for your flu shot, make sure you have:

• Your health insurance card
  
• Your prescription insurance card (if that is different from your health insurance card)
• Your primary care provider’s name, address and phone number
• You will also need to provide your name, date of birth, and permanent address

In the U.S.

Flu vaccines are offered in many doctor’s offices, clinics, health departments, urgent care clinics, and pharmacies. The vast majority of U.S. health insurance plans - including the Brandeis student health plan - cover the flu vaccine.

Outside of the U.S.

If you are outside the US, please abide by your local public health guidelines when making decisions about vaccinations. Students returning to Brandeis in January who are unable to get the flu vaccine outside of the U.S. will be able to get the vaccine when they arrive.

A flu vaccine is needed every season for two reasons. First, a person’s immune protection from vaccination declines over time, so an annual vaccine is needed for optimal protection. Second, because flu viruses are constantly changing, flu vaccines may be updated from one season to the next to protect against the viruses that research suggests may be most common during the upcoming flu season. For the best protection, everyone 6 months and older should get vaccinated annually.

Source: CDC

No, a flu vaccine cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines that are administered with a needle (flu shots) are currently made in two ways: the vaccine is made either with a) flu vaccine viruses that have been killed (inactivated) and are therefore not infectious, or b) with proteins from a flu vaccine virus instead of flu vaccine viruses. Nasal spray vaccine is made with attenuated (weakened) live flu viruses, and also cannot cause flu illness. The weakened viruses are cold-adapted, which means they are designed to only cause infection at the cooler temperatures found within the nose. The viruses cannot infect the lungs or other areas where warmer temperatures exist.

While a flu vaccine cannot give you flu illness, there are different side effects that may be associated with getting a flu shot or a nasal spray flu vaccine. These side effects are mild and short-lasting, especially when compared to symptoms of bad case of flu. Some minor side effects that may occur are:

• Soreness, redness, and/or swelling where the shot was given
• Headache (low grade)
• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Fatigue

Source: CDC