Health advice, guidance from TU’s top doc

By Pamela Gorsuch on September 5, 2023

It’s common for illnesses to resurge in fall as classrooms fill and cooler temperatures take hold. Below, TU Medical Director Suzanne Caccamese—a board-certified internal medicine physician with 23 years in the field—gives her top tips and guidance for staying healthy, including upcoming vaccine clinics and updated COVID practices.  

Boost your antibodies

“Vaccines reduce your chance of infection and reduce the severity of disease if you do get infected,” Dr. Caccamese says. She recommends students, faculty and staff protect themselves with an annual flu shot and COVID booster. Fall is the ideal time to get them to boost antibodies through the winter months when illnesses are typically more virulent. Appointments are available at on-campus vaccine clinics Fridays from Sept. 8 to Nov 3. Held in partnership with Safeway (owned by Albertsons), all Tigers are invited to register. Vaccines for shingles, pneumonia and TDAP will also be available. Appointments last as little as 15 minutes and are covered by most health insurance plans.
 
Not on campus during the clinics? Not to worry. Students can schedule a Health Center appointment for the flu or COVID vaccine by using the Tiger Health Portal or calling 410-704-2466.

FLU Shots & COVID BOOSTERS

Make an Appointment

Schedule your flu shot and/or COVID booster at on-campus vaccine clinics this fall. Clinics will be held Fridays from Sept. 8 to Nov. 3 in partnership with Safeway. 

Stay current on COVID practices

When you have a COVID scare, the last thing you want is to be left scrambling for information. Dr. Caccamese recommends reviewing and bookmarking TU’s COVID Resources page for the latest instructions and CDC guidance, which TU continues to follow.

“If exposed, you should wear a mask in public for 10 days, monitor for symptoms and take a test at day six,” says Dr. Caccamese. “If you test positive, you’ll be required to isolate for at least five full days. Use the CDC Isolation and Exposure Calculator to determine your precise length of isolation.”

Students who test positive should notify their professors directly and arrange for assignments in their absence. Resident students should isolate at home if possible. If not, they can remain in their current room assignment while implementing masking precautions. Students can contact Student Outreach and Support at 410-704-2055 for assistance with COVID-related academic concerns.  

Faculty and staff who test positive should notify their direct supervisors and discuss using accrued sick leave or authorizing telework.

Practice disease prevention

Simple practices like handwashing and getting enough sleep are useful tools for preventing illness, Dr. Caccamese says. She advises those who don’t feel well to stay at home and encourages anyone with a prolonged or persistent illness to visit a doctor. Students can schedule an appointment at the Health Center through the Tiger Health Portal or by calling 410-704-2466. In-person and telehealth appointments are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  

Nurture all aspects of your health

Dr. Caccamese encourages a holistic approach to overall health, considering mental well-being and sexual wellness in addition to physical health. She recommends any students who are feeling anxious or depressed reach out to the Counseling Center. Counselors can refer patients to the Health Center’s psychiatry team for additional treatment and/or medication management.

Students can also take advantage of the Health Center’s free sexual health resources, including condoms, dental dams and screenings for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Appointments are available for birth control, comprehensive STI testing, diagnosis and treatment, PrEP therapy, annual exams and emergency contraception such as Plan B and Ella. Anyone can purchase Plan B without a prescription at the University Store.

“We’re here to help protect students, faculty and staff so they can stay healthy,” says Dr. Caccamese. “And when illnesses occur, we’re here to see students and help them get healthy again.”