By: Cassidy Martenson
Staff Writer
On Thursday, IU South Bend partnered with HealthLinc to vaccinate students, staff and the broader community at the Student Activities Center. People were able to receive their first dose of the Moderna vaccine and will be invited to return for the second dose on May 20.
Upon arrival, patients could check in or sign up to receive the vaccine. Patients were given the vaccine by a HealthLinc or IU South Bend Health and Wellness Center staff member. IU South Bend nursing students were also administering vaccinations and receiving hands-on experience. After the dose, patients were instructed to wait a recommended 20 minutes before leaving.
“The COVID-19 vaccine will protect their own health, as well as the health of those they love and are around,” the clinic operations director at the Health and Wellness Center, Kari Frame, said.
They vaccinated a total of 75 people at Thursday’s event. While this number is not as large as they had hoped, that is an extra 75 people that are one step closer to being protected against COVID-19.
“We are asking members of the campus community to do three things:
- Schedule your vaccine. All Titans 16+ are eligible for the vaccine in Indiana even if you don’t live in Indiana. Visit ourshot.in.gov to schedule your appointment.
- Get all doses required for full protection.
- Let IU know after you’ve received each dose using the COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Form,” says Elizabeth Paice, chief of staff at IU South Bend.
This is IU South Bend’s chance for normalcy for the fall 2021 semester. Frame says that she is unsure if the vaccine will be a requirement for students, but this could be an important thing for university members to consider.
“Those fully vaccinated, defined as having received all doses of the vaccine at least two weeks prior AND having reported vaccines to IU, will no longer be selected for mitigation testing or have to quarantine if identified as a close contact,” the chief of staff at IU South Bend, Elizabeth Paice, said.
It is still required to self-report being in close contact with person who has tested positive for COVID-19 and to self-report any COVID-19 symptoms you are experiencing through IU’s daily symptom monitor, COVIDcheck.
Those who were unable to attend the clinic can still receive the COVID-19 vaccine elsewhere. Call 211 to be connected to the Indiana vaccine call center. You can make an appointment by visiting vaccine.coronavirus.in.gov.
IU South Bend community members are encouraged to attend the Ask Aaron webinars to address any questions they may have about the vaccine. Paice also encourages students to view the PSAs that Dwyer College of Health Sciences did in partnership with community organizations about why vaccination is important at https://www.iusb.edu/news/?p=9309.
