Kent State expected to receive large quantity of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines
Senior nursing student Courtney Shutt administers the first dose of the Moderna vaccine to senior sport administration major Ginny Weavill on March 30, 2021. Following April 13’s recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to pause the administration of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine, Kent State paused the distribution of this vaccine to students, which began April 8.
Kent State University expects to receive a “large quantity” of the one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, the university announced in an email Thursday. The shipment is a part of a program announced today by Gov. Mike DeWine to work with colleges and universities to offer COVID-19 vaccine clinics.
The first shipment of vaccines is expected to arrive at University Health Services “sometime early next week” and will be distributed immediately.
The goal of DeWine’s program is to offer on-campus clinics to all of Ohio’s college students before the end of the semester. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one dose, whereas the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine require two doses each, three or four weeks apart. Kent State classes will be fully remote on April 19, with many students leaving campus.
According to the email, details on how to register for the Johnson & Johnson shots and when distribution will take place is coming soon. Kent State’s vaccination program is expected to continue through the end of April and faculty members are “asked to be flexible with verified student class absences due to students receiving the vaccine.”
The Portage County health department will continue holding a mass vaccination clinic every Tuesday at the field house. This link can be used to register for a vaccine at the field house. In order to register for the vaccine at the field house, “you must be in the Kent area three or four weeks from then to receive your second dose.”
“We strongly encourage all students to get vaccinated, particularly those living in the Kent Campus residence halls, because we know that most residence hall students will leave campus by the end of spring break and will not return when classes resume fully remote on April 19,” the university said in the email statement.
Gina Butkovich is editor in chief. Contact her at [email protected].