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WELCOME TO THE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER

At the Student Health Center, we believe you should develop personal responsibility for your health during your years at Georgetown.  Staying healthy will give you a competitive edge, both now and in the future.  Maximize your education at Georgetown by improving your health and staying healthy.

The care you receive will be based upon an important partnership with you.  Primary physical and psychological healthcare and health education are provided through the Student Health Center, the Counseling and Psychiatric Service and Health Education Services.

HOT TOPICS

Georgetown University Still Awaiting H1N1 Vaccine 

Health Center Still  Awaiting Addition Seasonal Flu Vaccine; Clinics Temporarily Suspended Until Additional Vaccine is Received

Many clinics across the country are experiencing delays in shipment of additional seasonal flu shots.  Getting a flu shot is a vital step toward keep yourself well and protecting the Georgetown community during flu season.   However, the free seasonal flu shot clinics which are normally sponsored by the Student Health Center have been suspended until we receive additional vaccine.  As soon as we have received an adequate supply of additional vaccine we will announce future walk-in clinics.

Approximately 2500 doses have already been given through the health center to the university  community.    In addition to the vaccine clinics which we hope to continue to offer on campus, seasonal flu shots are available through some health care providers as well as a few local CVS, Giant, and Safeway stores.  However local supplies are still limited so please check the individual pharmacy websites for details on the dates and locations of their upcoming shot clinics.

The Health Center does retain a small supply of seasonal flu vaccine for students with chronic illnesses that place them at risk of serious complications from an influenza illness.  If you believe you have a chronic health problem and are in need of a flu shot, please call the H1N1/Influenza Advice Line at 202-784-H1N1 (or 4161) and identify yourself as a high risk student needing a regular seasonal flu shot.  Leave your name and phone number and the nurse will call you back promptly to make arrangements to get you a regular flu shot.

Please note that the seasonal flut shot will not protect against H1N1 flu.  When the H1N1 vaccination is available we plan to offer that as well.

Immunization and Tuberculosis Screening Certificates for Incoming Students

The deadline for submisission of the Immunization and Tuberculosis Screening Certificate for new and incoming students who entered with the Fall 2009 semester was July 1, 2009.  If you have not already done so, please submit the form as soon as possible.  The form may found on our website by following the Forms link.  You can download the form there.  The health center stays busy during the summer and fall months verifying and entering immunization data for each new student, so the sooner you submit your form the better.  Failure to submit the form by December 15th will result in a $100 fee being placed on your student account and a possible registration block.   For more information regarding submission of the form, please see our Frequently Asked Questions section.

Beginning in the fall of 2008, meningitis vaccination was made a requirement for incoming freshman living in residence halls.  For more information about meningitis, please see the Meningitis Fact Sheet.  You may choose to waive the meningits vaccination requirement but you must first read the fact sheet and then sign and submit the Meningitis Vaccine Waiver  form when you submit your immunization certificate.

MRSA Skin Infections Need Prompt Treatment

There has been an increase in news media coverage of MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), a type of Staph bacteria which is resistant to certain antibiotics.   Here at Georgetown we periodically see a number of infections throughout the year, and recently they were several that were identified in one dormitory over a several week period.  While still primarily a healthcare setting infection (hospital-acquired) MRSA infections have been occurring with more frequency in settings not associated with a hospital or healthcare facility (community-acquired).

These community-acquired infections can also cause skin infections and recently many college campuses, including Georgetown, have noted a slight increase in the number of these types of skin infections.  If you develop a skin infection that initially looks like a pimple or boil but then becomes swollen, painful or filled with  pus, you should call the Health Center for an appointment to be seen within 24 hours.  These types of infections need prompt treatment. 

There are several situations which may increase your risk of acquiring an MRSA infection.  They include:

• Skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a Staph infection
• Contact with items and surfaces that have Staph on them
• Openings in your skin such as cuts or scrapes; and
• Poor hygiene

In an effort to keep Staph infections, including MRSA, from spreading, the Student Health Center recommends the following:

• Wash your hands often or use an alcohol-based sanitizer
• Keep your cuts and scrapes clean and cover them with bandages
• Do not touch other people's cuts or bandages; and
• Do not share personal items such as towels or razors.

These recommendations are consistent with those put forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  For more information about MRSA infections occuring in the community visit their website at http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dhqp/ar_mrsa_ca.html

HPV Vaccine Still Available at the Health Center

A new vaccine which protects against several types of the human papilloma virus (HPV) was recently approved and recommended for females 11 through 26 years of age.  The vaccine does not protect against all types of HPV, but does protect against those types that cause the majority of cervical cancers and genital warts.

Beginning in early November 2006, the  Student Health Center has made available this new vaccine, called Gardasil, for women in this age group.  Previously the SHC had been purchasing the vaccine directly for students and then billing individual insurances for the vaccine.  However, due to the very high cost of the vaccine and the inadequate reimbursement by many insurance companies, the SHC is no longer able to purchase the vaccine in advance. 

In order to be able to continue to offer the vaccine, the health center has developed the following system for those women who wish to be vaccinated:

• If you do not already have either a prescription for the vaccine or do not have the vial of vaccine itself, please call the clinic for an appointment with the nurse to get a prescription for Gardasil. The vaccine is a series of three shots given over a 6-month period.  You will be given a prescription with enough refills to complete the series. There is no charge for this initial visit to get the prescription.  At the end of this visit make a followup appointment to have the nurse administer the shot.  (If you started the series elsewhere but do not already have a prescription or the vaccine, you will still need an initial appointment with our nurse; if you do already have a prescription or the vial itself from your doctor at home, you can simply make an appointment to have us give the injection.  Please bring a record of the dates of any prior HPV shots from your doctor's office with you.)
• Take the prescription to a local pharmacy.  Students with the Premier UHC (University-sponsored) insurance should go the GUH Outpatient Pharmacy. You will need to purchase the vaccine yourself and then bring it with you when you return for your injection visit.  
• On the day of your appointment to get the injection, pick up your vaccine from the pharmacy and bring it directly to your visit at the health center.  If you need to pick up the vaccine in advance, or it will be several hours before your visit, you will need to keep the vaccine in a refrigerator.  You can drop off the vaccine at the health center if you wish and we will keep it for you until your visit.  Remember also to schedule subsequent appointments for any remaining shots needed.
• There will be a charge for those visits when you come in for the nurse to give you your injection.  Coverage of those charges depends on your type of insurance.
• Submit your receipt from your pharmacy to your insurance company for reimbursement.  Students with the Premier-UHC plan will be reimbursed by their insurance after deduction of $15 copayment.  Other insurance plans may or may not reimburse you for the cost of the vaccine, so you should check the coverage of your individual plan.
• Don't worry if you experience some delay in scheduling your 2nd and 3rd shots, as there is no need to restart the series, even if more than 2 months passes between the 1st and 2nd shots or more than 4 months passes between the 2nd and 3rd shots.  You simply need to pick up the series where you left off, and continue until all 3 shots have been given.

We realize this change from our initial policy of purchasing the vaccine ourselves will be an inconvenience for some students.  However, we are committed to continuing to offer the vaccine, and believe our new system will work well for most, if not all students.  Our new policy is in fact consistent with other clinics within Georgetown University Hospital, with many private doctors' offices, and with many college health centers.

Meningitis Vaccine Available at SHC

Meningitis is a serious disease that affects the brain and spinal  cord , and can rapidly progress to death if not diagnosed and treated.  The U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that students be vaccinated against meningitis prior to entry in high school.  This recommendation also applies to unvaccinated college students (particularly freshman living in dormitories) who are at a greater risk for meningitis than the general  population.  Meningitis vaccination is now a requirement at Georgegown University for freshman living in residence halls, but is also available to other students as well.  If you have not yet been vaccinated you should consider getting vaccinated against meningitis.

If you would still like to receive the vaccine, please call the clinic and make an appointment with the nurse to get the meningitis shot.  The cost of the vaccine is $125  and there is also an additional administration fee.  This vaccine is sometimes covered by insurance although coverage varies according to each specific plan so you should check your individual plan carefully.

Sports Medicine Services Available for Recreational Athletes

Student Health Center has expanded services available to evaluate and treat sports medicine related conditions.  Our Sports Medicine consultations are coordinated by Dr. Veena Chawla, a physician who is board-certified in both family medicine and sports medicine.  At the health center Dr. Chawla provides care for both competitive athletes as well as recreational athletes, such as the intramural player, runners, or those playing pickup basketball or ultimate frisbee!  If you believe you a have sports-related injury or condition and would like to consult with Dr. Chawla, please make an appointment with her by calling 202-687-2200.

Sale of Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is Restricted

Recently a new federal law went into effect limiting the amount of pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)  a person could buy in a one-month period.  Pseudoephedrine is a common ingredient found in many cold preparations and one commonly sold brand is "Sudafed".  You can still purchase these products but pharmacies are now required to keep them at the front counter and you will have to sign a log book and show a state-issued ID in order to buy them.  There is no age requirement but you are limited to a certain amount per month.  People taking these products for the treatment of cold symptoms should have no trouble obtaining adequate amounts easily.  These new restrictions are aimed at reducing the use of pseudoephedrine in the illegal production of methamphetamine.  For more information about this new law, go to http://www.fmi.org/gr/METH_summary_clean_update3_06_logo.pdf .

Avian Influenza

Avian influenza, also called bird flu, has become an emerging problem in southeast Asia.  There is currently  no commercially available vaccine for avian flu, but the Food and Drug Administration did recently give approval for the manufacture of a vaccine which will be maintained by the Federal Government for distribution in the event of an avian flu epidemic.  The new vaccine is discussed at http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/gen-info/vaccines.htm.  A working group at Georgetown University is preparing for and discussing the implications of a possible pandemic caused by avian flu, if one should occur.  For more information about avian influenza and Georgetown's preparation efforts, please  visit http://preparedness.georgetown.edu/avianinfluenza.html.