On April 6, Sacred Heart University’s Coronavirus Planning Team sent out an email stating that on April 1, individuals 16 and up became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Sacred Heart students are also able to get the vaccine at the site at West Campus. Over 1,200 students responded to a poll saying they would take advantage of this opportunity.
In a recent email, the Coronavirus Planning Team said that you can still get vaccinated on campus even if you are not a Connecticut resident.
“We recommend that you plan it in such a way that your second dose (if you do not get a Johnson & Johnson vaccine) can also be done in Connecticut,” said the planning team.
The team also reminded the community to upload their vaccination information to their student portal once they have received the full doses of whichever vaccine they are getting.
“How much of the SHU community has been vaccinated is one of the factors we are considering as we make decisions about lifting some of the COVID restrictions,” said the team.
Many students are happy that the university is making sure their vaccination site is accessible to students on campus.
“I think this is a great opportunity to have students receive the vaccine right here at SHU,” said sophomore Audrey DiMella. “I am also glad that SHU is making it voluntary at the moment.”
Senior Alexa Irizarry said that it is a great opportunity to be able to get vaccinated on campus grounds.
“It allows us to feel safer, especially traveling between home and school,” said Irizarry.
She also said the Sacred Heart community would have more reassurance with stopping the spread of COVID-19.
“It can be comforting knowing that the community is in more control of not receiving positive cases,” said Irizarry.
According to the poll sent out by the Coronavirus Planning Team, over 80% of students that participated said they hope to receive the vaccine on campus.
“We have shared that with the state too and are hopeful we can receive a supply and administer them here on campus,” said Gary MacNamara, Executive Director of Public Safety. “This also shows that our fall 2021 is looking well, as this will likely get us close to what people refer to as herd immunity.”
This will help campus return to normal as fast as possible.
“Normalcy will return as we begin to see low community spread,” said MacNamara. “This is with testing, isolation, quarantine, masking and social distancing still occurring.”
Sacred Heart is hoping these plans lead to a more normal fall semester.
“We are full steam ahead with our plans for a more normal fall,” said MacNamara.
Sacred Heart cannot remove all their COVID-19 restrictions just yet. However, with low positive numbers, low community spread, and high vaccine rates, it allows restrictions to be lifted.
“Our goal come fall 2021 is to see COVID-19 in our rearview mirror,” said MacNamara.
