On Oct. 21 and 22, Bates held a flu and COVID-19 vaccine clinic in the Commons Fireplace Lounge. The clinic, aimed at making access to vaccines easy and accessible on campus, comes amid the start of the fall cold and flu season.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, flu season lasts from October to May, often reaching its peak between December and February.
Brenna Callahan, director of Health Services and student well-being at Bates, has observed this trend at Bates. She stated that “With each cold and flu season in the fall, students reach out to Health Services to schedule appointments with nurses and providers, and for support for all types of illnesses, which could include colds, flu, COVID-19, respiratory viruses, and infections.”
In an attempt to help students prepare for cold and flu season and keep students healthy ahead of October break, Bates Health Services shared recommendations in Bates Today. These included:
- Eating a well-balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables
- Staying well hydrated. Water and tea are particularly good choices for hydration.
- Getting adequate sleep, with an average of 7 – 9 hours per night
- Avoiding alcohol
- Engaging in light exercise
- Considering adding supplements like Vitamin C and Vitamin D
If students begin feeling cold-like symptoms, there are steps they can take for relief. Health Services recommends the following:
- Prioritizing rest and sleep for improved recovery through
- Frequent and thorough hand washing, especially before eating or drinking
- Refraining from sharing food or drinks
- Wearing a clean mask when indoors or in otherwise crowded environments
- Using cough suppressants or plain honey to help relieve coughing, especially at night
- Using zinc lozenges or elderberry syrup at the first sign of a cold
- Over-the-counter medications can be helpful. For fever, head pain, and congestion, try ibuprofen (common brands are Motrin and Advil) or acetaminophen for fever, cold symptoms, pain, or headaches (a common brand is Tylenol)
- Taking readily available cough and cold formulations, including Tylenol Cold & Flu, DayQuil, and NyQuil, to help manage symptoms
Callahan added, “If you are looking for medications, check out the new vending machine in Chase Hall, next to the Well-Being suite. The new vending machine includes many helpful medications like Mucinex, NyQuil, DayQuil, Tylenol, Advil, and Afrin.”
In August, the Food and Drug Administration narrowed its approval of COVID-19 vaccines to include people 65 and older, or people with pre-existing health conditions, a change from previous approvals that included anyone 6 months and older.
In October, the CDC endorsed a recommendation by the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to change COVID-19 vaccine guidance, requiring a step that the committee called “individual-based decision.”
Critics of these decisions have suggested that they could cause uncertainty or make vaccines more difficult to access. Health Services recommends staying up to date with vaccines, and Bates included COVID-19 vaccinations in its fall clinic. Callahan said, “As always, Health Services recommends staying up to date on your vaccines.”
For more information on accessing Health Services, call them at (207) 786-6199 or e-mail [email protected].
