Kate KimberlinThe University of Mississippi will begin offering appointments for the single-dose Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine starting Thursday, March 31. The Office of the Provost sent a campus-wide email on Tuesday, giving students, faculty and staff the opportunity to sign up.
“Appointments are limited to the supply on hand,” the email said.
Provost Noel Wilkin wrote in an email that Alex Langhart, the director of university health services, requested the Johnson and Johnson vaccine from the Mississippi State Department of Health in hopes of giving students another vaccination option.
“(He) requested it from the Mississippi State Department of Health knowing that students’ time to get both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine administered before the end of the semester (because they require a waiting period between doses) is narrowing,” Wilkin wrote.
Pharmacy students and licensed physicians will administer doses at the Tad Smith Coliseum, and the only times mentioned in the email for Thursday’s appointments are from 12:30 p.m. -4:30 p.m.
“Additional appointment days and times in the coming weeks will be shared once those details are finalized,” the email said.
The email also detailed facts about the vaccine and logistics for those who are interested in getting vaccinated on campus. Social distancing and mask-wearing will be enforced in the Tad Smith Coliseum, and those who have a history of anaphylaxis are encouraged to get vaccinated in a clinical setting.
The email also provided a link for anyone who wishes to get vaccinated off campus, and urged all members of the university community to get vaccinated as soon as they can.
“The university continues to encourage everyone to get vaccinated at your earliest convenience through any vaccination site, and individuals may also obtain vaccines through off-campus vaccination sites,” the email said.
