Our nurses are available to answer your questions about common health concerns including COVID-19, colds and flu, immunization requirements, health insurance, referrals to medical providers, smoking cessation, and more. If you have a question, Ask a Nurse. 

It is important we all do what we can to stay healthy and avoid contracting the Coronavirus Virus COVID-19. These commonsense steps can significantly increase your chances of staying healthy: Understand how COVID-19 spreads: 1.     The virus spreads mainly from person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet), through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, speaks or sings. 2.     These droplets can land in the eyes, mouths or noses of people who are nearby, or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. 3.     Some recent studies have suggested that COVID-19 may be spread by people who are not showing symptoms (asymptomatic) and feel fine. You could spread COVID-19 to others even if you do not feel sick. Your Best Defense: Avoid being exposed in the first place! Get a COVID-19 Vaccine! Three vaccines are now available. For info on when and where you may receive a vaccine visit the NYS Health Department's website. For info on what to expect after you get the vaccine visit this info page from the CDC. Also: 1.     Wear a cloth face cover over your mouth and nose when in public, for example to school, the grocery store, etc. 2.     The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected, as well as yourself. 3.     Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker. 4.     Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. 5.     Keep the face cover clean. Launder as needed. 6.     Dispose of used face coverings properly. 7.  Face Coverings in the Workplace: Executive Order 202.16 directs employers to provide essential workers with masks free of charge to wear when interacting with the public. 8.     Businesses Can Deny Entry: Executive Order 202.34 authorizes businesses to deny entry to individuals who do not wear masks or face-coverings.  9.  Practice social distancing: Maintain a minimum of 6 feet from others. 10.  Avoid crowded areas as much as possible. 11.  Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water. 12.  Wash for at least 20 seconds (sing the Happy Birthday song twice to keep time.)  13.  Be sure to scrub between your fingers and under your nails.  14.  Wash before and after handling food, after sneezing or coughing, or after using the bathroom. 15.  Wash immediately after returning home from an outside location. 16.  Wash immediately after contact with others or objects from outside, i.e. groceries, take-out, mail, etc.  17.  If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 18.  Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry. 19.  Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. 20. Cover coughs and sneezes with a bended elbow or tissue. 21.  Discard used tissues immediately. 22.  Make sure you get enough rest. 23.  Eat healthy foods. 24.  Drink plenty of liquids, preferably water. 25.  Take deep breaths, stretch, and meditate. 26.  Exercise regularly. 27.  Go outside (even if you are avoiding crowds).  28.  If you feel sick, STAY HOME.  29.  Avoid others, especially the elderly or immunocompromised. 30.  If you experience symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, body aches, headaches, exhaustion, sudden loss of taste or smell: 31.  Do not go to the emergency room, hospital, urgent care, or doctor’s office.  32.  Call your doctor for instructions on how to seek proper medical treatment.  33.  Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing. 34.  Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily: 35.  This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks. 36.  If surfaces are dirty, clean them. 37.  Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. 38.  Get information related to COVID-19 from reliable sources: 39.  The Centers for Disease Control 40.  The World Health Organization 41.  New York State Department of Health 42.  COVID-19 Resources on SUNY Orange website 43.  SUNY website 44.  You may email your questions to the Wellness Center Nurses at wellnesscenter@sunyorange.edu

Students who are in crisis and need immediate assistance outside of our hours of operation (Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm) should contact the following resources:

• Mental Health and Substance Use Urgent Care (Access Supports for Living) Currently offering Virtual Mental Health Services 24/7 to adults and children regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Please call (888) 750-2266, option 2.
• Orange County Crisis Call Center Trained counselors are available to offer support 24/7. Please call (800) 832-1200.
• Fearless! Hudson Valley, Inc. (formerly known as Safe Homes of Orange County) Offering confidential 24/7 hotline and emergency shelter for domestic violence. Please call (845) 562-5340.
• Resources from SUNY - Crisis Text Line, QPR - Suicide Prevention Training
• Grief and COVID-19: Mourning our bygone lives (PDF)
• Taking Care of Your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social  Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak (PDF)

• Mindfulness: How It Can Help Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic 

It's Hard to Succeed on an Empty Stomach. We Can Help.

If you are having trouble affording the food you need to feed yourself or your family, SUNY Orange can assist you.

Instead of picking up groceries on campus, enrolled students at the college will receive a gift card to either Shoprite or Hannaford’s supermarket to be used for the purchase of groceries.

Please contact Madeline Torres-Diaz if you are in need of a food pantry gift card at madeline.torresdiaz@sunyorange.edu.

Food bank locations or food resources can be found by visiting www.auntbertha.com or by the Why Hunger hotline at 1(800) 5-HUNGRY.

Orange County has several food banks to assist those finding it difficult to obtain enough to eat. To find a food bank near you, visit regionalfoodbank.net and enter your zip code. Or visit this list of food banks and shelters in Orange County. 

SUNY Food Insecurity Website

Apply for Food Assistance with SNAP

The New York Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly called the Food Stamp Program) helps you and your family buy food needed for good health. You can buy food from most grocery stores and other retailers that sell food. If you meet the program guidelines, you will get a special debit card (called an EBT Card). The EBT card comes with a certain amount of money already on it to pay for food. 

To participate in SNAP, a student, in college at least half time, must meet the income eligibility for SNAP and one of the following criteria:

• Be employed for an average of 20 hours per week and be paid for such employment or, if self-employed, be employed for an average of 20 hours per week and receive weekly earnings at least equal to the Federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours.
• Participate in a State or Federally financed work study program during the regular school year.
• Provide more than half the physical care for one or more dependent household members under the age of six or provide more than half the physical care of dependent household member who has reached the age of six but is under the age of 12 where adequate child care is not available.
• Enrolled full-time in an institution of higher education and is a single parent with responsibility for the care of a dependent child under age 12.
• Receive benefits from Family Assistance (FA) or federally-funded Safety Net Assistance (SNA).
• Receive Unemployment Benefits (UIB).
• Attend a SUNY or CUNY comprehensive college, technology college, or community college and are enrolled in a qualified career and technical education program.
• Attend any of the 10 Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC) in New York State and are enrolled in a career and technical education program, remedial course, basic adult education, literacy, or English as a second language.

 

The following programs offered at Orange County Community College are considered “qualified career and technical education programs” for the purposes of SNAP eligibility:

• Accounting  5002, A.A.S.
• Accounting  5002, A.S.
• Accounting Procedures  5002, CERT
• Business: Banking  5003, A.A.S.
• Business Management  5004, A.A.S.
• Business: Business Administration  5004, A.S.
• Business: Leisure Services Management  5004, A.A.S.
• Business: Real Estate  5004, A.A.S.
• Business: Retail Business Management  5004, A.A.S.
• Marketing  5004, A.A.S.
• Selling & Business Procedures  5004, CERT
• Supervisory Management  5004, CERT
• Business: Office Technologies  5005, A.A.S.
• Clerical Office Assistant  5005, CERT
• Information/Word Processing  5005, CERT
• Medical Office Assistant  5005, A.A.S.
• Office Technologies  5005, A.A.S.
• Stenography  5005, CERT
• Visual Communications Technology: Graphic Arts/Printing  5009, A.A.S.
• New Media  5012, A.A.S.
• E-Business  5099, CERT
• E-Business  5099, A.A.S.
• Computer Information Technology: Networking  5101, A.A.S.
• Computer Information Technology: Web Development  5101, A.A.S.
• Computer Science  5101, A.S.
• Microcomputer Applications [Day Format]  5101, CERT
• Web Development  5104, A.A.S.
• Cyber Security  5199, A.A.S.
• Dental Hygiene  5203, A.A.S.
• Dental Hygiene: Anesthesia  5203, NC CERT
• Medical Laboratory Technician  5205, A.A.S.
• Medical Laboratory Technology: Electronmicroscopy  5205, A.A.S.
• Radiologic Technology  5207, A.A.S.
• Nursing  5208, A.A.S.
• Nursing [Evening Format]  5208, A.A.S.
• Occupational Therapy Assistant  5210, A.A.S.
• Physical Therapist Assistant  5219, A.A.S.
• Liberal Arts & Sciences: Exercise Studies  5299, A.S.
• Drafting  5303, CERT
• Architectural Drafting  5304, CERT
• Surveying  5309, CERT
• Electrical Technology: Telecommunications  5310, A.A.S.
• Electrical Technology: Telecommunications  5310, CERT
• Architectural Technology  5317, A.A.S.
• Construction Supervision  5317, CERT
• Industrial Laboratory Technology  5407, A.A.S.
• Human Services  5501, A.S.
• Early Childhood Development & Care  5503, CERT
• Early Childhood Development & Care  5503, A.A.S.
• Teaching Assistant  5503, CERT
• Records/Information Management  5504, A.A.S.
• Records/Information Management  5504, CERT
• Criminal Justice  5505, A.S.
• Criminal Justice-Police  5505, A.A.S.
• Law Enforcement/Security  5505, CERT
• Business Administration  5004, A.S.
• Business Management  5004, A.A.S.
• Office Technologies  5005, A.A.S.
• Nursing  5208, A.A.S.
• Human Services  5501, A.S.
• Early Childhood Development & Care  5503, A.A.S.
• Criminal Justice  5505, A.S.
• Criminal Justice: Police  5505, A.A.S.

 

The linked document is a form that you, the student, can submit with their SNAP application that verifies that you are enrolled in one of the eligible programs:

https://otda.ny.gov/policy/directives/2020/ADM/20-ADM-13-Attachment-1.pdf

 

To check on eligibility in general, please visit;

New York Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Hunger Solutions SNAP Benefit Estimator

*PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC HEALTH ANNOUNCEMENT FOR FALL, 2022:

Public Health Announcement

Attention faculty, staff, and students who are also essential workers:

You may be at a higher risk of exposure to flu and COVID-19. Protect yourself and your community from flu by getting a flu vaccine. The more people vaccinated the more people protected. Learn more at the CDC website.

The cold and flu season will soon be upon us. In addition, the Coronavirus COVID-19 has not gone away. All members of the campus community are encouraged to protect themselves and others from illness. This will help prevent widespread disease and maintain our community’s resources to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here are some tips:

Get a flu shot!

• The Orange County Department of Health, as per the New York State Department of Health guidelines, recommends that everyone six months of age and older without contraindications receive the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as possible.
• It is best to get the vaccine during the months of September and October, before the start of influenza activity.
• Flu vaccine is strongly encouraged for young children, pregnant women, those with chronic health conditions, and those 65 years of age and older who may be at increased risk for flu complications.
• All health professions students, and students and employees who are also health care workers, are strongly encouraged to get the flu vaccine. In some programs this is mandatory. Check with your instructor.
• Vaccines are available through your healthcare provider and many local pharmacies Visit Vaccinefinder.org to find vaccination locations.
• Note: The Wellness Center is unable to offer a flu clinic this year.
• Most insurance plans cover the cost of the vaccine.

If you are uninsured:

• The Orange County Department of Health will offer a flu clinic (date TBA) for those who are uninsured. Call 845-291-2330 for more details. Also, some pharmacies offer vouchers for free vaccines so you might want to call around to see where this is possible.

Monitor your health status with the Campus Clear app and follow the prompts.

Stay home from school or work if:

• You feel sick
• You have a temperature of 100 or greater
• You have a fever, sore throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue

If you are sick:

• Avoid contact with others as much as possible. Wear a face mask when contact is unavoidable.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Drink plenty of fluids, eat nutritious foods as tolerated, and rest as much as possible.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surface
• Seek medical attention for:
• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, rapid breathing
• Pain or pressure in the chest or abdomen
• Confusion or loss of consciousness
• Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea

Return to school or work when you are fever-free for 24 hours (without fever-reducing medications).

Practice prevention:

Continue to practice COVID-19 prevention methods, i.e. frequent hand washing, social distancing, and wearing a face mask when encountering others. This can also prevent flu and other seasonal infections.

For further advice consult with your healthcare provider or contact the Wellness Center at (845) 341-4870 or wellnesscenter@sunyorange.edu Monday thru Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.

Please share this information with family and friends.

Attention Health Professions Students: Upload documentation of your 2020-2021 flu vaccine via our online portal.

View our "Managing Stress During the COVID-19 Outbreak" (PDF) presentation, provided by Maureen Flaherty, M.A., LMHC 

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The outbreak of COVID-19 may be stressful for many people. Fear and anxiety about the unknown is natural, but it is important to take care of your physical and mental health during this time. 

Stress during an infectious disease outbreak may include:

Changes in sleep or eating patterns.

Fear about health and financial matters.

Difficulty sleeping.

Issues adjusting to online learning or separation from classmates, friends, routine activities.

An increase in symptoms for those with pre-existing mental health or physical health issues.

Tips to Ease Anxiety

Get enough rest.

Keep exercising.

Eat well.

Limit exposure to media coverage and social media related to COVID-19.

Recognize what you have control over and what you do not.

Keep a normal schedule when taking classes online or working from home.

Practice mindfulness.

Keep the situation in perspective and stay connected to family and friends.

Get Accurate Information

Be sure to get information related to COVID-19 from reliable sources. There is plenty of misinformation and conflicting news circulating which can increase feelings of anxiety and depression. The following websites are reliable sources for current information: 

• The Centers for Disease Control
• The World Health Organization
• New York State Department of Health
• COVID-19 Resources on SUNY Orange website
• SUNY website

 

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Maintaining Mental Wellness During COVID-19 Outbreak
Mental Health Effects of COVID-19 Outbreak

With the ongoing Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, it is important to be taking care of your physical AND mental health. During this time:

• Stress levels are higher as physical health, economic worries, and social changes create impact a person’s well-being.
• It is normal to experience increased anxiety, fear, and uncertainty.
• There is a lot of change, which can be stressful and anxiety-producing.
• Others in your life may become distressed and turn to you for
• You may experience difficulty or changes in sleeping and eating
• Those with pre-existing physical or mental health issues may experience an increase in symptoms due to the stress they are
   

These factors, and many others, may contribute to feelings of distress and anxiety, and may make it feel difficult to manage your life at this time. If you have a treatment plans or proven coping strategies, please continue to use those during that time.

Tips for managing stress and anxiety brought on by COVID-19:

• Reduce exposure to media coverage of COVID-19.
• Recognize what you have control over and what you do
  • Though we do not have control over the situation at hand, we do have control over the steps we take to protect ourselves and practice self-care.
• Take care of your physical well-being:Take deep breaths, stretch, and
  • Eat health, well-balanced
  • Exercise
  • Go outside (even if you are avoiding crowds).
  • Try to get plenty of fresh air
• Engage in activities you enjoy and that you normally
  • Maintaining a sense of normalcy is important during times of
• Connect with your family, friends, and others to talk about your
• Practice positive thinking and remind yourself of your resilience
  • Most people overestimate how they will be impacted by negative events and underestimate their ability to cope with stress
  • Remind yourself of healthy ways you have dealt with stress
  • Remind yourself that with time the situation will pass and so will your
• Accept feelings of anxiety, worry, an
  • Describe the feeling in the moment to yourself or
  • Acknowledge how you feel without judging the
  • Facing anxiety in the moment will lead to less anxiety over
• Arm yourself with facts from reliable sources:
  • The World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and New York State Health Department are recommended for receiving accurate info.
• New York Project HOPE: Coping with COVID
  • Emotional support for Orange County residents 
  • For information, education, emotional support, and links to resources call 845-762-2275. Spanish resources also available. 
  • Free and confidential

Personal counseling sessions continue to be available to SUNY Orange students. Counseling sessions may be conducted via HIPPA compliant Zoom meetings, by phone, or in-person. To schedule an appointment contact the Wellness Center’s Mental Health Counselor Maureen Flaherty, LMHC at maureenflaherty@sunyorange.edu. Our hours of operation are 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Email messages left after hours will be returned the next business day.