On Friday Feb. 11, Student Health Services (SHS) and Giant Eagle will be hosting a vaccine clinic at the Robert V. Aebersold Student Recreation Center (ARC) from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Students from Healthy Outreach through Peer Education (HOPE) will encourage others to get vaccinated through giveaways, a photo booth and Valentine’s Day themed goodies.
The clinic is open to SRU students, faculty and staff. Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be provided, along with flu shots for those who haven’t received them yet.
This will be the sixth vaccine clinic hosted by SHS and Giant Eagle since COVID-19 vaccines became widely available in spring 2021. Vanessa Vought, the SHS health promotion coordinator, aims to provide timely and accessible clinics when COVID-19 guidelines change.
“But of course, anytime we do a clinic like this, it’s about making it more accessible. Wherever you are in that process of getting vaccinated, whether it’s your first, second or third shot, students are welcome to come.”
As the health promotion coordinator, Vought keeps up with common health issues on campus and provides necessary education and services, with the goal of keeping the student body as healthy as possible.
Previous clinics have been held at the Russell Wright Alumni House and Conference Center and near the Mass Testing Center in the University Union. SHS changes locations in order to find the most easily accessible ones. Vought considers last semester’s vaccine clinics to be very successful.
“Anytime we can get a student vaccinated, that’s a success in my book,” Vought said.
For those attending a clinic for the first time, the process is simple. Anyone can register ahead of time or walk in between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Qualified pharmacists from Giant Eagle will be on hand to administer vaccines or flu shots, as will a nurse from SHS in case of a reaction. Going through the clinic from start to finish takes roughly 20 minutes.
Vought emphasizes the importance of getting vaccinated at this stage of the pandemic. Getting vaccinated is one additional thing you can do to be protected and prevent severe illness from COVID-19.
“We keep going through these waves. . . each wave is bigger than the last, and the waves are getting exponentially bigger and bigger. Even though we’re coming off the peak of omicron, we still have a higher level of daily reported cases than anytime prior to when the omicron wave started,” Vought said.
