Ohio State is participating in the White House’s COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge, the university announced on Twitter Wednesday. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Ohio State will participate in the White House’s COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge, the university announced on Twitter Wednesday.
As part of the challenge, participating colleges commit to three action steps to promote vaccination efforts: engage every student, faculty and staff member, organize their college community by identifying vaccination advocates and provide vaccine access to all, according to the White House’s website.
“We are proud to support the #COVIDCollegeChallenge and look forward to helping keep our communities healthy,” President Kristina M. Johnson said in a tweet. “At this time, people over the age of 12 are eligible to get the vaccine, and we encourage everyone who can to do so.”
The COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge builds upon President Joe Biden’s May 11 announcement stating the country’s goal to administer at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccine to 70 percent of Americans by July 4, according to the website.
“The White House and the U.S. Department of Education are inviting colleges and universities across the country to join us in our efforts to end the pandemic by signing up for the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge,” the website states.
According to the announcement, federal efforts to increase vaccination rates include offering free rides through Lyft and Uber to vaccination sites, providing campus vaccination clinics at high-enrollment community colleges and expanding community outreach and engagement.
University spokesperson Ben Johnson said in an email the university encourages everyone who is eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine to do so if they have not already.
