By: Corinne McCaw
On Monday, April 5, all individuals over the age of 16 became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in the state of Alabama, likely an encouraging development for Samford University students hoping for class and programming to get back to normal.
On Thursday, April 8, Samford announced through a campus-wide email that it had received over 3,000 doses of the Pfizer SARS-CoV-2 vaccine which will be made available to all students beginning Wednesday, April 14. On-campus vaccine clinics are currently being held in Seibert gym for students who registered in advance.
On March 26, Samford nursing students administered 400 vaccines on campus as Samford held its first vaccination clinic for students who currently or soon will be working in an environment that may place them at higher risk as part of their program. At the vaccination clinic receiving their first shot, there were nursing students soon to be in clinicals, campus tour guides, student government leaders and more.
Samford Ambassador and Sophomore Class President Cooper Shull was eligible to receive the first dose of the vaccine at the March 26 clinic on campus.
“I was not expecting to receive the vaccine until later this summer because 20-year-old college students are at the bottom of the list when it comes to the vaccine, but I am grateful that Samford was able to secure some for their students,” Shull said.
Sophomore Jackson Willyerd is still in the process of deciding whether or not to opt to get the vaccine. While still debating if he wants to receive the vaccine himself, Willyerd is glad there is an opportunity to get the vaccine on campus.
“Because I know so many people that are getting [the vaccine], I will get to experience the benefits of herd immunity without bearing any potential effects,” Willyerd said.
Sophomore Claire Owens is excited that she is now eligible for the vaccine in Alabama, and views the clinics on campus as a beacon of hope at the end of a long year.
“I was excited to see Samford was able to offer vaccines to the whole student body, and for the first time in a while I felt hopeful about the future of COVID at Samford,” Owens said.
COVID-19 vaccines are also offered at different places throughout the Birmingham area. Vaccination clinics are also currently being offered at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. All Individuals over the age of 16 can register for an appointment at www.jeffcoema.org, or by contacting the Jefferson County Call Center at (205) 858-2221.
If you have any questions about vaccine distribution on campus, contact Chief Strategy Officer Colin Coyne by emailing ccoyne@samford.edu.
