During this active flu season we want to remind our students and employees about best practices for flu prevention.
How to control the spread of influenza
Below are some best practices, courtesy of Student Health:
1. Practice good hand and respiratory hygiene. Wash your hands frequently, especially before eating and after sneezing, coughing and handling public facilities like doorknobs, handrails, etc. Avoid touching your face and eyes. Cough into the fold of your arm and not into your hands.
2. Stay away from crowds and classes if you are ill. Students should communicate with their instructors to let them know if they need to miss classes and what their requirements are for documentation.
3. Get vaccinated!
4. If you become ill, you can take care of yourself with plenty of fluids (more than 2 liters per day), over the counter decongestants, and acetaminophen for fever. Antiviral treatment must be started in the first 48 hours of symptoms and will reduce symptoms but not “cure” the flu. For people at medical risk, antiviral medications can be given to prevent flu if there is a close contact who tested positive for influenza. If you are ill and cannot keep fluids down, have high fevers not controlled with acetaminophen, are dizzy when you stand or have shortness of breath and persistent severe cough, seek health care.
Where to get a flu vaccine
It's still flu season, but it's not too late to get a flu vaccine. UCR students and employees have a variety of local options to obtain a flu vaccine.
Students
Below are three flu vaccine options for students.
1. Walk in to Student Health during office hours. There may be a 10-20 minute wait.
Student Health hours are as follows:
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 8 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–4:30 p.m.
• Thursday: 9 a.m.–12 p.m. and 1–4:30 p.m.
• Walk-in Hours: 9–11 a.m. and 1–3 p.m.
2. Schedule a flu vaccine appointment at Student Health online. To schedule, go to https://studenthealth.ucr.edu/making-appointment and choose “Appointments.”
3. Get your flu vaccine at an off-campus pharmacy. UC SHIP students: You can go to any pharmacy that takes Optum pharmacy benefits, such as Safeway, Walgreens, and RiteAid. Use your insurance app or your insurance card. UC SHIP covers these vaccinations 100%. If you don't have UC SHIP, call your insurance provider before you go to ask about costs. Afterward, let Student Health know that you were vaccinated. To do this, you must upload the immunization record to Health e-Messenger. Log into https://studenthealth.ucr.edu/immunization-requirements
Employees
UCR Health medical offices provide convenient access to top-quality physicians. For more information regarding the services provided at each office, as well as maps and directions, visit the following site for individual locations. https://www.ucrhealth.org/about-us/locations/
To schedule an appointment for a flu vaccination, call 844-827-8000, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Non-urgent appointment requests can also be made by completing an online patient appointment request form.
Employees may also reach out to their primary care provider or visit local pharmacies.
We encourage every member of the campus community to take the appropriate measures to care for their health and that of their fellow students, faculty, and staff.