Fall 2024 Health Guidance
August 21, 2024 3:30 PM
We look forward to seeing students, faculty, and staff back on campus, and we are committed to supporting your safety and well-being. To ensure your adjustment to campus goes smoothly, we’d like to share these tips to keep in mind in the days and weeks ahead.
Stay hydrated
Drinking sufficient water helps keep joints healthy, regulates temperature, and aids concentration and focus. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and consider a hydration routine to keep your body and mind running efficiently and feeling strong.
Stay active and outdoors
Regular physical activity—even brisk walking—can boost mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and help you think clearly. Engaging in physical activities outdoors offers the added benefit of exposure to sunlight, which helps keep the body’s internal clock on track. We encourage you to spend some time outdoors and be active. This gets you ready to dive into the new semester.
Get sleep
Aim for at least seven hours of sleep regularly for optimum physical and mental health. Sleep routines often take a hit during summer breaks. Get your sleep schedule back on track!
Stay up to date on COVID and influenza vaccinations
Prevention is the best course for staying healthy, and many respiratory viruses circulate year-round in the United States, typically with more activity during the fall and winter months (cold and flu season), when people spend more time inside.
As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected from severe COVID-19 and flu when you stay current with recommended vaccinations.
The CDC recommends updated 2024-25 COVID-19 and flu vaccines in people ages six months and older. We encourage everyone to be up-to-date on your vaccines. If you are eligible for new vaccines but unable to get them before returning to campus, you may make an appointment with any pharmacies in Oberlin.
Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself, your loved ones, and others against the spread of flu. Student Health Services will provide flu vaccines to students during annual vaccination clinics and during regular office visits.
Masking
Although masks are not required in indoor spaces, Oberlin continues to be a mask-friendly campus, and all who wish to wear masks are encouraged to do so. Additionally, Student Health recommends wearing a mask indoors and/or in crowded spaces during the first two weeks on campus. While Lorain County currently is not in the high-spread category, Student Health will be monitoring area statistics closely. Free masks are available at Student Health Services.
COVID-19 testing and positive test results
You are encouraged to test if you are experiencing symptoms of a respiratory illness. Rapid antigen self-tests are available for students at Student Health during office hours and at Campus Safety after hours. Learn more about COVID-19 testing from the Ohio Department of Health. Oberlin adheres to updated CDC guidance for preventing the spread of respiratory viruses. Please report all positive test results by emailing obiesafe@oberlin.edu.
Self-health checks
All students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to continually assess their health and monitor for any symptoms of COVID or flu. For more information, please refer to the CDC’s Respiratory Virus Guidance.
Together, we look forward to the start of a healthy, safe, and successful academic year. If you have any questions, please send an email to health@oberlin.edu.