By Jake Zabski and Kelly Lewis
The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine was offered to Stonehill students, employees, and employee families in partnership with Rite-Aid at the Sports Complex with first dose clinics held on April 30, with a second date of May 4.
Second doses will be held on May 21 and May 25.
If you have already received your first Pfizer dose elsewhere, you can register for your second dose at any of the clinics throughout May.
Director of Health Services Maria Sullivan and Director of Human Resources/Title IX Coordinator Lily Krentzman made the announcement via email on April 23.
“Becoming vaccinated has a major positive impact on public health and we anticipate that the higher the rate of vaccinated individuals at Stonehill, the more protected our community will be and the more we will be able to amend our health and safety protocols and restrictions this coming fall,” the email said.
The College is strongly encouraging the vaccine, but has yet to mandate it.
Other colleges including Brown University, Northeastern University, Syracuse University and more have already mandated the vaccine for students returning to campus in the fall. There is a possibility Stonehill could do the same.
Stephanie Dalaklis, a junior, is getting vaccinated through the school’s on-campus clinic.
“I'm grateful that Stonehill is providing an opportunity for students and faculty to get vaccinated on campus as it provides us with easier access to receive one. I'm hoping that everyone who hasn't yet gotten the vaccine will take advantage of this option,” Dalaklis said.
Alexandra Koulouris, a junior and resident of Middlebury, Connecticut, said she has already been vaccinated. She said even if she wasn’t vaccinated she wouldn’t have signed up for the clinic on campus.
“If I hadn’t received my vaccine yet, I wouldn’t sign up for the vaccine clinic on campus because I will be back home in May. I wouldn’t want to drive two and a half hours to campus and back for my second dose,” Koulouris said.
For students with similar concerns, the College said that they will be working with Rite Aid to help schedule their second appointment after classes have ended in their respective states.
Stay tuned for more updates on the vaccine with the release of the third print edition on May 5.
Link to sign up: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/COVIDTestingCenter1@stonehill.edu/bookings/
Link to interest form: