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Questions &Answers
Frank Carnevale is director of Student Health Services and coordinator of the Student Wellness Team.
What is the concept of "wellness?"
By "wellness," the team
is referring to a state of optimal health. Health, here, is meant in the
broad sense of "being whole." There are many dimensions to
wellness-physical wellness, emotional wellness, social wellness,
spiritual wellness, etc. A person, therefore, can be doing quite well in
one aspect of wellness (physical wellness, for example-he or she in
great physical shape), and not so well in another aspect of wellness
(social wellness, for example-he is having trouble maintaining close
friendships).
What is the mission of the Student Wellness Team?
The UB
Student Wellness Team provides interdisciplinary, collaborative services
that promote the optimal health, wellness and development of all
students at the University at Buffalo. Information on our programs and
services can be found at http://wellness.buffalo.edu.
What do you mean when you talk about a "holistic approach" to
wellness?
The Student Wellness Team is made up of three units:
Health Services, Counseling Services and Wellness Education Services.
We've structured the team to be collaborative both in its administrative
and daily operations. For example, if someone comes to Health Services
with the flu and, in taking the person's medical history, it becomes
clear that mental health issues are of concern, (he is experiencing
symptoms of depression, for instance) we will link him with the
wonderful resources available at Counseling Services. The counselor and
medical provider then also may consult with each other, as necessary, in
order to optimize that student's care. In addition, Wellness Education
Services offers a rich array of complementary approaches to traditional
medical care-yoga, meditation, massage and drumming are just some of the
workshops and resources that are offered free to students.
Are any of the services provided by the Student Wellness Team
available to faculty and staff?
The Student Wellness Team staff
is always happy to consult with faculty and staff members who are
seeking to assist a student in need. There is a counselor and a medical
provider on call 24/7 to provide emergency consultation for this
purpose. Staff and faculty members can call 829-3316 for Health
Services, 645-2720 for Counseling Services and 645-2837 for Wellness
Education Services. In addition, we offer a wide variety of
wellness-themed workshops in the Life and Learning Workshop Series (http://workshops.buffalo.edu/)
that faculty/staff are welcome to attend. Our CPR Training Center is
happy to work with groups of faculty members who want to become CPR
certified or to become instructors themselves (http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/shs/student-health/cpr.
shtml). Finally, we're happy to partner with individual professors
who'd like us to come into one of their classes to offer a lecture or a
workshop on a particular wellness topic.
Does the nationwide shortage of flu vaccine mean that Health
Services will not be giving flu shots to students, faculty and staff
this year?
That's correct. Unfortunately, the nationwide
shortage also has affected us here in Western New York. Due to this
shortage, we will not be able to offer flu shot clinics this year on
campus.
Why is there a shortage of flu vaccine this year?
There
are two main suppliers of the flu vaccine this year. One of those two
companies had quality-control problems and had to destroy its vaccine.
This action effectively cut in half the vaccine pool for the United
States. For more details and updates on this issue, please go to our Web
site at http://www.student-affairs.buffalo.edu/shs/student-health/flu.
shtml
Who should receive the flu vaccine this year?
The Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that due to the nationwide
shortage, the vaccine should be offered first to individuals in several
higher-risk groups, including all children aged 6-23 months, adults 65
and older, persons ages 2-64 years with underlying chronic medical
conditions, all women who will be pregnant during influenza season,
residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities, children 6
months to 18 years of age on chronic aspirin therapy, health-care
workers with direct patient care, and out-of-home caregivers and
household contacts of children younger than 6 months. These individuals
or their caregivers should seek out the vaccine from the local health
department, their primary medical providers, their grocery stores, their
pharmacies, etc.
What is Flu Mist and is it a good alternative to the injectable
flu vaccine?
FluMist is a live flu vaccine that is administered
by a nasal spray instead of a shot. It is an acceptable alternative to
the flu shot for certain groups of individuals. This vaccine should be
encouraged for healthy persons who are aged 5-49 years and are not
pregnant, including health-care workers (except those who care for
severely immuno-compromised patients in special care units) and persons
caring for children under the age of 6 months. Unfortunately, this
vaccine also is in short supply.
In lieu of a flu shot, what precautions can be taken to try to
avoid getting the flu?
This is an excellent question. People
should not panic due to the lack of flu vaccine. Instead, there are many
common-sense actions that we all can take to minimize our likelihood
this season from getting the flu. The best way to prevent influenza is
to optimize your health and help to stop the spread of bacteria/viruses:
-
To help boost your immune system, get plenty of rest, exercise and eat properly.
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Stay home from work or school if you experience flu symptoms. Taking it easy could help you feel better sooner and also will slow the spread of disease to others.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze.
If you don't have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
Put your used tissue in the waste basket.
Clean your hands after coughing or sneezing by washing with soap and water or clean with alcohol-based hand cleaner.
Clean surfaces you touch frequently, such as door knobs, water faucets, refrigerator handles and telephones.
If you are starting to have flu symptoms, call your health-care provider. Certain medications can help shorten the duration of the flu if you start taking them within the first 48 hours of experiencing symptoms.
Visit http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/flu/index.htm for more information on flu prevention.