16 Apr COVID-19 Vaccine Arrives at Baldwin Wallace University
It’s the sting that Yellow Jackets are welcoming with open arms. For many students, getting the COVID-19 vaccine at Baldwin Wallace University represents more than an ounce of prevention, but a syringe full of hope.
Members of the BW community began rolling up their sleeves (literally and figuratively) to dispense hundreds of the one-and-done Johnson & Johnson vaccines to students under the State of Ohio’s campus vaccination initiative today.
FIRST SLEEVE ROLLED UP
Cassidy Prather ’21 was the first student to receive a vaccine when the clinic opened. The sport management major and member of the women’s lacrosse team says she didn’t hesitate when the vaccine was offered.
“I work at a summer camp back home in upstate New York,” Prather explains. “I want to protect the kids, protect my parents and others. I was very excited to learn I could get it here.”
The vaccine rollout is starting with student-athletes who are competing this weekend, with appointments available to all students on Saturday and Sunday. BW Health Services advises students to check their email for detailed instructions on signing up.
A DOSE FOR EVERY STUDENT WHO WANTS ONE
Approximately 3,000 current BW students, graduate and undergraduate, and including those from out-of-state, are eligible to receive the single-dose vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. The FDA has authorized the emergency use of the Janssen vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older.
Led by BW Health Services and faculty and students in the physician assistant and nursing programs, BW is staging a multi-day vaccine clinic in the Lou Higgins Recreation Center through at least Sunday. Additional faculty and staff volunteers are stepping up to help with directions and data entry to get the job done.
Two weeks after a student is fully vaccinated, they will no longer be included in BW surveillance testing and will not need to be quarantined for exposure to those who test positive for COVID-19.
Dawson Gabe ’23, sustainability and business major, said immunity for him will kick in for part of the Yellow Jacket baseball season, which runs late into May. “I decided to get it for peace of mind and to stay healthy for the season,” he explained.
PART OF A STRATEGIC STATE APPROACH
“My family encouraged me to get it since all of them are getting vaccinated,” said Angelina Minisall ’24. The freshman psychology major and BW softball player has never known BW without COVID-19 health protocols in place. “I definitely think the vaccine offers hope for fewer restrictions next year, especially if a lot of people are getting it.”
Dale Grubb, who chairs BW’s Health Advisory Committee, emphasized that masks will continue to be required through the end of the semester as mandated by the state and public health best practices.
“We are grateful to the State of Ohio and Governor Mike DeWine for making the vaccine available to our campus and happy to offer it to our student body. Our students have been terrific at complying with health protocols all year, and the availability of vaccinations bodes well for our ability to enhance our in-person experience in the fall as our state and nation work toward herd immunity.”
In announcing the plan to offer vaccines on campus, DeWine said, “It is a strategic move to vaccinate them on campus before they get out in early May, get out in the summer, and scatter throughout the state and throughout the country.”