Get Vaccinated: Flu Clinic–Mon. & Wed.

Annual Seasonal Flu Clinic for Students

Seasonal influenza (“flu”) is a highly contagious viral illness marked by fever, muscle aches, cough, headache and fatigue. These symptoms often have a dramatically sudden onset and the illness usually lasts seven to ten days. Although influenza typically improves without complications, certain individuals, especially those with underlying medical problems including asthma or diabetes may develop complications, such as pneumonia. Ear infections and sinusitis may also develop with or following influenza.

The most effective preventative measure against seasonal flu is being immunized with seasonal flu vaccine.

thumbnailCA1W2X0ZThis year, because of the ongoing concern about the 2009 H1N1 influenza (pandemic flu, swine flu), it is especially important for individuals (especially those at risk for flu complications) to be immunized with seasonal flu vaccine in addition to H1N1 vaccine when that vaccine becomes available. The novel H1N1 vaccine is not intended to replace the seasonal flu vaccine – it is intended to be used in addition to seasonal flu vaccine. Because both seasonal and H1N1 influenza can present with similar symptoms (cough, fever, body aches, sore throat) vaccination for seasonal flu will help to decrease the number of people who may receive a clinical diagnosis of H1N1 and be recommended for treatment and self-isolation.

The CDC recommends that younger people (we are recommending <30) get the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it is available. Other adults may get the vaccine in mid to late October.

When the H1N1 vaccine becomes available we will notify the community of its availability and the vaccination planThe Davison Health Center and Department of Human Resources is sponsoring a Seasonal Flu Clinic for students, as well as faculty, staff and their dependents.  

VNA Healthcare will provide the clinical services and staff and Health Center staff will assist with clerical duties.

Information about the flu, flu vaccine, and notice of privacy practice can be found below by clicking on the appropriate link.  For faster service the day of the clinic, please print off and complete the Influenza Immunization Permission sheet and bring with you to the clinic.  Copies will also be available at the clinic site. Registration is not required. Please wear a short sleeve shirt for ease of access to your arm.

Date:         Mon., Sept. 21
Time
:         12 – 4 p.m.
Location:  Usdan 108
Fee:           $37 (cash, check, or bill to student account)

Date:        Wed., Sept. 23
Time
:         12 – 4 p.m.
Location:  Usdan 108
Fee:           $37 (cash, check, or bill to student account)

Date:         Tues., Oct. 13
Time
:         4 – 7 p.m.
Location:  Usdan 108
Fee:           $37 (cash, check, or bill to student account)
  

Click below for information about the flu clinic:  Flu Facts   Flu Vaccine Information   Influenza Immunization Permission (complete and bring to clinic)   VNA Privacy Disclosure Form

For more information, contact Joyce Walter, Health Center Director at x2656 or jwalter@wesleyan.edu

Severe Intoxication Panels

If a friend of yours experiences severe intoxication, this places them at high risk for alcohol overdose/poisoning and the resulting medical problems. 

thumbnailCA2KQXR2The Office of Public Safety, in conjunction with WesWell, the Dean of Students Office, and Res Life will be holding four Severe Intoxication Panels designed to help students understand the best course of action to take for a friend who cannot make an informed decision due to impairment.  The representatives on the panel will speak about the issues from their perspective.  The panel discussion will give you a chance to have questions about alcohol policies and procedures answered.  You will learn what the signs of severe intoxication are, what Public Safety will do when responding to a call for help, what the Dean of Students Office will do when a student is referred to them after being treated for intoxication, and more.   The panels will be held on the following dates and times: 

Tuesday  September 15th @ 7:30pm in the Fauver Residence Hall lounge

Tuesday  September 22nd @ 7:30pm in the Butterfield B lounge

Tuesday  September 29th @ 7:30pm in the Clark Hall lounge

Tuesday  October 6th @ 7:30pm in the 200 Church Street lounge

We would look forward to seeing you and speaking with you about this very important issue.   Lt. Paul Verrillo, Wesleyan Public Safety

H1N1 Flu Update

swineflu-cp-RTXEI3DYou have probably been reading about the continued potential for novel H1N1 influenza (swine flu) outbreaks in the U.S., especially in the school setting. We are continuing to monitor the situation and advise that you do also. More detailed information about H1N1 is available at http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/, and http://www.ct.gov/ctfluwatch. Wesleyan has a plan which is in action and which we continue to refine in close consultation with local, state and national health officials and agencies.

Happily, H1N1 is mostly causing mild illness thus far. Our goals are to limit both the number of cases on campus and the severity of the cases we have. With that in mind, there are several important concepts we wish to communicate to students before their arrival on campus this year.

  1. If you are sick with a flu-like illness, please delay your return to campus until you have recovered. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that individuals with influenza-like illness remain at home and away from other people until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100° F [37.8° C] or greater), or signs of a fever, without the use of fever-reducing medications. Influenza-like illness is defined as a fever plus cough and/or sore throat. Symptoms of the flu may include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people with influenza will not have fever. Absence of fever does not mean absence of infection. If in doubt, call your health care provider to discuss your symptoms. Students are encouraged to call the Davison Health Center (860) 685-2470.If you do need to delay your return, please contact your Class Dean and Davis Smith, Medical Director, Davison Health Center pdsmith@wesleyan.edu. Once you have recovered, we encourage you free to call the Davison Health Center (860) 685-2470 to speak with a Nurse and review that you are well enough to return to campus.
  2. Discuss with your family a plan of action in the event you contract H1N1. Because self-isolation is such a key component of infection control with a pandemic, we highly encourage those able to do so to leave campus for a few days if they become develop a flu-like illness as defined above. We have contingency plans for sick students not able to leave campus.
  3. Determine whether you are at high risk of complications from H1N1 infection. Pregnancy and other previously recognized high risk medical conditions from seasonal influenza appear to be associated with increased risk of complications from this novel H1N1. These underlying conditions include asthma, diabetes, suppressed immune systems, heart disease, kidney disease, and neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders. Speak with your health care provider and determine whether or not you qualify as high risk of complications from H1N1 infection.
  4. Have on hand supplies to take care of yourself or others in the event of illness. See: http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/guidance_homecare.htm.
  5. Stay informed. We are preparing detailed information about H1N1 and Wesleyan’s response to this pandemic. These will be posted to [website] in the next few days and kept updated. We plan early distribution of seasonal influenza vaccine and hope to encourage wide uptake. Once an H1N1 vaccine becomes available, we will notify students of distribution plans. We stand ready to help Wesleyan students prepare for, prevent, manage and recover from H1N1 and any other health problem that may occur while they are on campus.

If you have additional questions, please contact:
Davis Smith, Medical Director, Davison Health Center
Joyce Walter, Director, Davison Health Center

Transitioning to Campus Life

transitionsCollege life, as exciting as it is, can be significantly different from your past experiences. New environment, new friends, new classes, new ideas, new experiences are yours for the taking! There is familiarity with being a student since you’ve been doing that most of your life, but you may need to adapt your study habits to a less structured and more demanding academic environment. And you may be living on your own for the first time, responsible for everything from getting up on time for class to doing your own laundry to budgeting your money. A few suggestions for managing the transition:

  • Talk with friends and family members who have recently attended college about their experiences transitioning to campus life — the challenges, the joys, the things they wish they knew starting out. You may be able to glean some words of wisdom!
  • Make a plan with your parents/guardians for how frequently you will talk and email. Strive for regular, but not daily, contact. It will help you concentrate on adjusting to Wesleyan while still reducing the likelihood of feeling homesick.
  • Once on campus, seek out opportunities to get involved in one or two activities outside the classroom. Focus on quality, not quantity. You have plenty of time over the next four years to try out everything!
  • Being a college student does not have to equal being unhealthy. Strive for balanced eating habits, a regular sleep pattern and a manageable workload.
  • If you are of age and choose to consume alcohol while on campus, party with a plan!  It will greatly reduce your risk for problems related to your own consumption. Learn more about how to do this with Randy Haveson during New Student Orientation.
  • Keep up your exercise routine at Wesleyan’s great athletic facilities, with WesWELL’s non-credit fitness classes, or on your own. Physical activity greatly helps with reducing stress levels and with mental acuity.
  • Ask for help if you need it academically or personally; it is a sign of strength, not one of weakness. We want to help you succeed!

Health Insurance Deadline — 8/15

The deadline of August 15 is fast thumbnailcartv673approaching to comply with the student health insurance requirement.  All students must annually show proof of insurance (waive) or purchase the university-sponsored plan ($786) by going to www.gallagherkoster.com.

You should have received the information below which was mailed directly to your home address in June.  Please follow the instructions for accessing the web database by the August 15 deadline.  Thank you, Joyce Walter, Director, Davison Health Center

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On-Line Enroll/Waiver Process:  Go to www.gallagherkoster.com:

1)  Select College and University Students  2)  Select Wesleyan University from the dropdown box  3)  First time users are required to create a unique User Account.  To do this you will need to enter your first and last name, Wes student ID, date of birth and email address  4)  Click on “Log In” to create or access an account on this website  5)  Once logged in, click “Student Waive/Enroll Forms” on the left hand side of the page and select either the 2009-2010 Wesleyan University Undergraduate Annual Enrollment Form to enroll or Waiver Form to show proof of existing insurance  6)  If waiving the student insurance, you will need your other health insurance information in order to submit the Online Waiver Form  7)  Print your confirmation number page.

Questions?  Contact Gallagher Koster at 800-499-5062 or WesleyanStudent@GallagherKoster.com.

Office of Behavioral Health for Students (OBHS)

OBHS is located at 327 High Street (Davison Health Center).  Call 685-2910 to schedule an appointment.  Any Wesleyan student is entitled to use our services and all students are WELCOME!  You don’t need to be “falling apart” to make an appointment.  If you have an issue you’d like to discuss with a therapist, one of our staff will be available and thumbnailcafw1o2hinterested in working with you.  OBHS practices a time-limited model of psychotherapy-this schedule seems to match the pace of student’s lives.  Our experience shows that a significant number of students find that five sessions are adequate for resolution of their issues while others need more time.  When optimal treatment frequency is greater than what OBHS can provide or if the student wishes to see someone off-campus, a private therapist should be considered and we encourage the student to discuss with OBHS what would be most helpful. 

OBHS appointments are scheduled for mornings or afternoons and we make every effort to offer an appointment to fit the student’s schedule-usually within a week.  If you have an urgent situation and indicate that it is urgent, an OBHS therapist will talk with you within a few hours at the most.  If you need to reschedule, postpone or cancel your appointment, give us as much advance notice as you can.  This helps other students (who may want an appointment) and allows OBHS to better serve you.  In case of an emergency after hours or on weekends, an OBHS therapist is always on call when the University is in session and can be reached by calling 685-2910 (listen carefully to the phone prompts that access the on-call therapist).

 If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.  See the OBHS website for more information:  http://www.wesleyan.edu/obhs .

Davison Health Center Welcomes You

thumbnailca8m3jv2The staff at the Davison Health Center wishes you a healthy and safe start to your academic career. The Health Center provides a full range of health care services by appointment. Check out our website to find out all we offer. Please call 860-685-2470 for appointments and information. The same phone number can be used after hours to reach the physician on-call.

The Health Center is staffed by physicians, nurse practitioners, a physician associate, and nursing personnel who provide comprehensive primary care services for illness or injury to students. The staff provides an array of clinical and health education services, including assessment and treatment of illnesses and injuries, health, wellness, disease prevention counseling, nutritional counseling, international travel counseling, immunizations, allergy injections, HIV testing and counseling, and referral to outside specialists. The Health Center provides basic laboratory testing and a dispensary for many prescription and over-the-counter medications for a small fee.

Please note that a $10 no-show fee for missed appointments is in effect. Be sure to cancel an appointment within 24 hours to assure you are not billed and to give other students an opportunity to have an appointment.

Your Meal Plan: August 1 Deadline

thumbnailcav225dvChoosing your meal plan…seemingly an easy decision, but make sure you have all the facts before you decide.  Your Wesleyan dining experience is run by Bon Appétit, which earned this past year the highest dining satisfaction rating (almost 80%!) ever at Wesleyan University, so you can be sure you are getting a great product! For specific information about them you can go to: http://www.cafebonappetit.com/wesleyan/

When selecting your meal plan, be sure to pick the plan that you really think will meet your needs.  Pay attention to the number of meals each plan averages per week and, based on your usual eating habits, pick the one you think meets your style.  Unused meals do not roll over to the next semester, so you want to use meals before points whenever possible.  You can always add points on, but unused meals are lost so pick the plan that will allow you to get the most out of your dining experience.

Here is a summary of the meal plan information for 2009-2010:

Block 210 — MEALS/$100 POINTS PER SEMESTER (averages 14 meals per week)                                                                            

Block 165 — MEALS/$275 POINTS PER SEMESTER (averages 11 meals per week)

Block 135 — MEALS/$475 POINTS PER SEMESTER (averages 9 meals per week)

*Block 285 — MEALS/$50 POINTS PER SEMESTER (averages 19 meals per week)  *Additional cost of $300 per semester

Make your meal plan selection in your electronic portfolio by August 1!  Have a safe and enjoyable summer!  Michelle Myers-Brown, Director, Usdan University Center

Taking Care of Yourself

Check out the latest and greatest online health promotion tools available from Health Services and WesWELL, the Office of Health Education. The Self Care Guide allows you to make informed choices about your health care, including information on how to prevent and treat various health concerns. Created by the American Institute for Preventative Medicine, it’s chock full of good information on being healthier. e-CHUG (Electronic Check-Up to Go) is a brief assessment tool that provides feedback on alcohol consumption and drinking patterns. Learn how to make small changes that can make a big difference!

Check out these tools today or any day…both are always linked from the Health Services and WesWELL websites. (Note: While you are required to enter your Wes email username and password to access both these sites, it’s anonymous browsing Your username is in no way connected to the information you enter into or gather from either site.)