A vial of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. The first doses of the vaccine at Ohio State were administered March 2, 2021. Credit: Owen Milnes | Lantern File Photo
Getting vaccinated can do more than prevent students, faculty and staff from contracting COVID-19 — it can bring back pre-pandemic Ohio State.
University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email as of Monday, about 60 percent of Ohio State’s students, faculty and staff have been vaccinated. The university believes the estimate underrepresents the true vaccination rate and still encourages people to get the shot and report their vaccination status back to Ohio State, Johnson said.
Melissa Shivers, senior vice president for Student Life, said the university will consider removing COVID-19 guidelines if it reaches the target 70-80 percent vaccination rate and aligns with Ohio Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations. She said she hopes people, particularly first-year students, understand the importance of getting vaccinated to enjoy their experience on campus.
“I think it’s going to be even more important for us to continue to follow the guidance by the CDC and looking at our particular situation on campus to figure out what kind of adjustments we will need to be able to make and in order to continue to keep the campus healthy and safe,” Shivers said.
The university removed the mask mandate for vaccinated individuals on all areas of campus except public transportation and the medical center June 9. Ohio State will also reduce on-campus isolation and quarantine housing availability during the academic year, the Academic Affairs and Student Life committee announced May 19.
“I think that a part of the incentive that we’ve said to people is, ‘Hey, we need you to get vaccinated because it helps us to be able to feel better about the community that we are bringing back into Ohio State,’” Shivers said.
To aid in vaccination efforts, Ohio State will open an additional vaccine clinic.
Ryan Haley, senior director of ambulatory services at the Wexner Medical Center, said the on-campus vaccine clinic will open at McCampbell Hall, an outpatient care center, Thursday.
Haley said the location is strategically located for staff and expects 20-40 people will be vaccinated each day.
“It doesn’t matter what care you’re delivering, whether it’s vaccines or any other preventive care, you want to make it convenient for consumers, so I think that it just falls really in line with that,” Haley said.
Marti Leitch, a spokesperson for the Wexner Medical Center, said the new facility will be open weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for those 18 years and older. Individuals can schedule appointments on the MyChart website.
The vaccination center at Jesse Owens North Recreation Center will remain open, with plans underway for the center to provide both testing and vaccinations, Shivers said.
Haley said the goal of opening the JO North vaccine location in May was to improve the vaccination rates of Ohio State students and faculty, due to its convenient location.
The Schottenstein Center’s vaccination center closed late May as the demand for vaccines decreased and the size and daily cost to maintain the center was no longer warranted, Hayley said. Same-day clinics, such as the Upper Arlington sites, outpatient care facilities and the McCampbell Hall center, are now open for those who still need to get vaccinated.
Shivers said she hopes people will “care enough about each other” to follow the expectations the university outlines and encourages those who haven’t to get vaccinated.
“I would simply say that we are working really hard to bring back that iconic Ohio State experience that people have either had as current students at Ohio State or thinking about those students who are joining our community brand new, who have been really challenged over the past 15 months as seniors, to have a typical experience,” Shivers said.
