Health Alerts

Take steps to care for yourself and help protect the UTA community.

What to Know for this Fall and Winter Virus Season - Protect Yourself and Others

Vaccination against flu and COVID-19 is a core strategy for lowering your risk of hospitalization, long-term health impacts, and death from these viruses. The CDC recommends the seasonal flu vaccine and the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for everyone ages 6 months and older. Vaccination is especially important for people who are at increased risk of severe disease, such as adults 65 years and older, people with certain health conditions, nursing homes residents, and pregnant people, and for people that live or work regularly with those with increased risk. The CDC also recommends that people that are immunocompromised or 65 years and older receive another dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months after receiving their first dose.

Eligible students (those enrolled in at least one on-campus class or that have paid the medical services fee through the UTA Marketplace) can get a flu shot for free and the COVID-19 vaccine for $20, by appointment.

The CDC's Respiratory Virus Guidance recommends that all people use core prevention strategies to help people lower risk from a range of common respiratory viral illnesses, including flu and COVID-19. The core prevention strategies include:

- Staying up to date with immunizations.
- Practicing good hygiene (proper handwashing, cover coughs and sneezes, clean frequently touched surfaces).
- Taking steps for cleaner air (fresh air, air filters, improve airflow).

When you have a respiratory virus:

- Use precautions to reduce the spread of illness, such as staying home and away from others.
- Seek health care for treatment if you have risk factors for severe illness.
   - Free flu and COVID-19 testing is also available in the health center as well as $10 testing for strep throat.

Additional prevention strategies include masking, distancing, and testing. Layering these additional prevention strategies is especially helpful when:

- Respiratory virus levels are higher in your community.
- You or people around you have risk factors for severe illness.

Whether you need an immunization, testing, treatment or have another health concern, Health Services is here to support your academic success by providing excellent health care and promoting wellness. Call 817-272-2771 for questions or to schedule an appointment.