COVID-19 Vaccine Update as Phase 2 Opens

March 26, 2021

Dear SLU community members,

Starting Monday, all higher education faculty and staff in the state of Missouri are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The opening of this new priority population –– phase 2 –– also includes restaurant workers, among others. I am sure you are excited as I am to get one step closer to a more vaccinated SLU, St. Louis and world.

I want to encourage those who are eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccinewherever they can get an appointment.

There are no guarantees that we will receive some or all of the vaccine that we have ordered with the State. The notification from the State for approval or denial of our vaccine order could come as late as Monday.

If we are approved, we will host one or more COVID-19 vaccination clinics at some point next week. As we have in the past, we will send registration information to those who are eligible who have filled out the survey we shared a few weeks ago.

Pleasefill out the survey, if you haven’t already, to tell us whether you have already been vaccinated, or whether you haven’t yet but hope to soon.

Thesurvey for household members is also still available. If we obtain vaccine, we will send a registration email to eligible faculty, staff and students first.

While I hope that we will be able to vaccinate many more of our SLU community members in the upcoming week(s), it is more important that individuals get vaccinated — wherever they are able.

Thestate's website has two tools (a vaccinator map and link to mass vaccination clinics) to help you locate a vaccine. If you live in Illinois, you can find details about where tolocate a vaccine clinic here.

As a reminder: If you received a first dose of Moderna or Pfizer from somewhere other than SLU, you will need to return to that vaccination site for your second dose. At this time, we can only give out second doses to those who received their first dose from us. This is due to the logistical challenges in managing the vaccination clinics.

The state sends the second doses of Moderna vaccine 28 days after the first, and they only send the exact number needed based on what was given out at the initial clinic. We also must account for each dose given, and the inventory documents outline which are prime vs second/booster doses and to whom they were given. We are not permitted to give a first or prime dose to someone who needs a second or booster dose.

As always, please emailpandemic@slu.edu with any questions.

Stay safe and be well.

Terri Rebmann, Ph.D., RN, CIC, FAPIC
Special Assistant to the President
Director, Institute for Biosecurity
Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
College for Public Health and Social Justice