Vaccines: Will They or Will They Not Be on Campus?

In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused thousands of schools to close, with some still waiting to reopen, resulting in online learning and sports cancellations. Now, a year later, a vaccine has been developed and approved for distribution across the United States. Come April 5, citizens 16 and up will be able to register and get the vaccine at their local pharmacies or doctor’s office (if provided). So, will colleges make it readily available on campus or simply have resources on how to get it?

At Olivet College, President Steven M. Corey has been in contact with a vaccination provider about doing vaccinations on campus.

“We would like to offer these to all members of the campus community but they have thus far said it might only be for employees (their policy not ours). Thus far, their supply is limited and we haven’t been able to schedule a date yet, for anyone. We’ll keep trying," said Corey via email.

If Olivet were to get vaccines, however, there is a site in mind for the vaccinations to take place.

“The space of the Health and Wellness Center itself could absolutely be used for vaccination purposes, but it is not a decision that will be made by providers staffing the Center or the Center itself. For example, if the Pandemic Response Team (led by Ryan Shockey) was able to coordinate with the Eaton County Health Department or a hospital system to have on-campus vaccinations, the Health and Wellness Center may be the determined site to host that,” said Director of Counseling of the Health and Wellness Center Erica Pearson via email.

According to the Washington Post, the University of Texas is offering vaccines through the school and is offering registration online, and in an article done by WKYC Studios, they wrote that the state of Ohio will be trying to vaccinate every college student on campus before they get out in May.

While the response team is working on trying to get vaccines for students at Olivet, the college is also in the process of firming their partnership with Sparrow, which is a health system based in Lansing, to try and get practitioners to see students medically.

“At this point healthcare services are provided via Telehealth and Sparrow Eaton is working to hire a practitioner who will see patients at the center a few times each week,” said Corey via email.

For more information on how to register for the vaccine, visit https://www.michigan.gov/coronavirus/0,9753,7-406-98178_103214---,00.html

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