WVU Student Health closed during fall recess

West Virginia University Student Health Services will be closed Nov. 25-29 during the university’s fall recess.

For non-emergency issues, visit WVU Medicine Urgent Care at Suncrest Towne Centre. Urgent Care is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Urgent Care will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 28.

For emergency issues, visit J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital. The Emergency Department at J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

As the campus community prepares to travel for the holidays and fall and winter break, students, faculty and staff are reminded to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy as they gather for celebrations.

Influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, are common, especially in the fall and winter, and vaccination is recommended to help prevent serious illness from all three viruses, reduce widespread illness and lessen the burden on the health care system.

Student Health Services located on the Evansdale Campus and WVU Medicine Urgent Care offer flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. Throughout the community, many primary care providers, local pharmacies and community clinics also offer walk-in and appointment-based vaccination opportunities. It takes approximately two weeks following vaccination for antibodies to develop and provide protection against infection.

In addition to vaccination, individuals should follow best practices to prevent all three respiratory illnesses, including:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs are often spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches the eyes, nose or mouth.
• Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, or the bend of your elbow, not your hands.
• Wear a mask to help lower the risk of respiratory virus transmission.
• Avoid contact with individuals who are sick, when possible.

Individuals should continuously monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza which usually mimic the common cold, and visit a healthcare provider, if necessary.