The university hosted its first on-campus COVID-19 vaccination clinic in partnership with Rite Aid Pharmacy on May 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Registration for the clinic offering the Pfizer vaccine opened on April 28 for all faculty, staff, contractors and students, and was later opened to include family members of St. Joe’s community members, according to an April 30 announcement from Zenobia Hargust, M.S., S.P.H.R., chief Human Resources officer and Cary Anderson, Ed.D., associate provost and vice president of Student Life.
“I’m just really happy that we were able to service over 200 people on our campus and make it convenient for them so they don’t have to stand in long lines and don’t have to go out of their way to get the vaccine if they want to get it,” Hargust said in an interview with The Hawk while working a registration table at the clinic.
Owen Moelter ’24 and Gavin Campbell ’24 leave the clinic after receiving their COVID-19 vaccines. Moelter said that he initially planned to receive his vaccine at home in Doylestown, Pennsylvania after the semester ended, but decided to receive it at the clinic since it was convenient.
“I’m just looking forward to this first step of everything getting back to normal,” Moelter said.
According to the April 30 announcement, those receiving their dose of the vaccine at the clinic must be able to receive their second dose on campus as well during the upcoming May 25 clinic. Hargust said over 220 people registered in advance for the clinic on May 4 and about 20 people came as walk-in appointments.
“We thankfully were able to accommodate [them] because Rite Aid brought some extra doses,” Hargust said.
Hargust said the opportunity to put together a clinic came about quickly, so in order to run the clinic, the university worked closely with a large group of community volunteers.
Allison Nolan, director of Events & Sponsorships in the Academy of Food Marketing, decided to volunteer for the clinic. Nolan said she already received her first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, but after her early morning shift at the clinic, she was able to receive her second dose.
Nolan said she is grateful for the clinic being offered on campus and that she wanted to volunteer to help the event go more smoothly.
“It’s really important,” Nolan said. “I want people to be safe and for us to get through this COVID pandemic. So I’m doing everything I can personally to encourage people to get the vaccine.”
For students, the clinic made receiving the vaccine a more convenient process.
“I was like, ‘I’m on campus anyway, so why not just get it while I’m here?,’” said Alexa Walter ’24, who received her first dose of the vaccine at the on-campus clinic.
Alexa Walter ’24 shows off her band-aid after receiving her COVID-19 vaccine at the clinic. PHOTO: CARLY CALHOUN ’21/THE HAWK
Walter said she wanted to get the vaccine because she is going to be an orientation leader for the incoming class of 2025 and she wanted to do her part to make sure new students feel safe.
As the university continues to plan for the fall and prepares to welcome the incoming class of students, the administration has not announced whether receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will be mandatory.
“At this point, we just want to make vaccination readily available to our community, whether they want to get it on campus or if they prefer to get it at their local pharmacy or down at the convention center,” Hargust said. “At this point that decision hasn’t been made about whether it’s going to be mandatory.”
