Supporting Your Physical and Mental Wellbeing in the New Year
Dear Members of the Harvard Community:
We hope that your Spring semester is off to a great start and that you are staying warm amid our seasonably frosty weather. This is a busy time of year, and many of you are juggling a host of responsibilities. As you shuffle between classes or along your commute, remember to prioritize your physical and mental wellbeing. Your health should not come secondary to academic, community, and professional obligations.
Harvard University Health Services Is Here to Support You
Mental or physical exhaustion prevents you from being at your best and can negatively impact time spent with friends and loved ones. Harvard University Health Services (HUHS)—which includes Counseling and Mental Health Services, the Center for Wellness and Health Promotion, and our multi-specialty medical clinic—is available to support your wellbeing. From well visits, medical appointments, and urgent care to counseling and massage therapy sessions, our providers are here to help you.
Beyond HUHS, the University provides resources via Wellbeing at Harvard. Students can find information on support groups and mental health providers. Faculty and staff can access mental health trainings and Crimson Folders with guidance on responding to student distress as well as resources to care for their own mental health while supporting others. We’re all human, and our emotional connections are an important part of our humanity.
Respiratory Illness Levels Remain High: Protect Yourself and Our Community
Throughout the country, rates of influenza have been particularly high. We encourage you to double down on precautionary measures to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like flu, COVID-19, and RSV. Wear a face mask in crowded, indoor settings—especially if you are feeling unwell; practice good hand hygiene; and stay home when ill. During this period of high viral activity, health care staff throughout HUHS will wear a face mask during patient care interactions.
You can get vaccinated for flu, COVID-19, and RSV at local commercial pharmacies (students and HUHS patients can also request vaccines at HUHS). Vaccination can reduce the chance of transmission and severe illness even in seasons when the available vaccine is not a perfect match with the circulating virus. Additionally, students must receive the flu vaccine to attend classes in the Spring. We encourage you to protect yourself against all recommended vaccine-preventable illnesses and keep Harvard healthy.
We wish you the best this semester. Have a safe, healthy, and happy new year.
Robin Glover, MBA
Associate Provost for Student Affairs
Giang T. Nguyen, MD, MPH
Associate Provost for Campus Health and Wellbeing
Executive Director, Harvard University Health Services