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Dear Students:

We are experiencing an early onset of flu this season compared to prior years. As such, I am writing to remind you of the importance of getting your flu vaccine and taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of illness.

As always, the best protection against illness is vaccination. If you have not yet received your flu shot, I encourage you to get one as soon as possible. To provide students with additional opportunities to get their flu shot, the Barnes Center at The Arch is hosting flu shot clinics on Thursday, Nov. 11; Friday, Nov. 12; and Tuesday, Nov. 16. Students can in the Patient Portal.

In addition to vaccination, the following health practices can help prevent the spread of illness:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are feeling sick, limit your contact with others as much as possible.
• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing. (Masks are always a great preventative measure!)
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Clean and disinfect regularly touched surfaces and objects.
• If you have the flu, the recommends staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever is gone, without the need for a fever-reducing medicine.

If you are experiencing flu symptoms and are at increased risk of complications, or your flu symptoms are unusually severe, please call the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000 to schedule an appointment. Severe symptoms include:

• Trouble breathing
• A severe sore throat
• Feeling faint or extreme weakness
• Fever or cough that improve but then return or worsen
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

For more information about flu, please visit the . If you have additional questions, please contact the Barnes Center at The Arch at 315.443.8000.

Be well,

Dr. Karen Nardella
Medical Director, Barnes Center at The Arch