Fairfield University will hold a COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic in partnership with Griffin Hospital on Friday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Field House of the Leslie C. Quick, Jr. Recreation Complex. At the clinic, first and second doses as well as booster shots will be offered. All three vaccines — Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson — will be available at the clinic.
Anyone looking to receive their booster vaccine must bring their vaccination card.
This clinic comes after the two that were held during the 2020-2021 academic year, in partnership with Griffin Hospital in which the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was offered to members of the campus community.
Currently, Fairfield’s campus community has a vaccination rate of over 93 percent. According to Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jenn Anderson, 650 appointments are going to be offered for the upcoming clinic but that the registration demand will be evaluated in terms of whether more appointments and doses need to be added.
At the first two clinics, there were 1,500 doses available to “any community member — University and eligible [Fairfield] Prep students and all employees — who is not currently in isolation or quarantine” according to the email sent by Human Resources on Monday, April 21, as reported by the Mirror in the April 21, 2021 issue.
The Mirror also reported that though 1,500 doses were available, 868 community members scheduled appointments to get their vaccination at the clinic offered by Fairfield.
When asked how the University foresees the turn-out of this vaccination clinic, Anderson responded by saying “Our first and second vaccination clinics were well-attended, with over 800 vaccines administered contributing to the very successful campus vaccination rate” and that the University “anticipates strong participation in this clinic as well.”
At the upcoming clinic, participating students will be eligible to participate in raffles and also receive a drink voucher to Dunkin’ Donuts for a free cup of coffee.
There will be five baskets participants can enter their raffle tickets into: a Stag Spirit Shop Basket, Wellness Basket, Getaway Basket, Active Basket and a Lunch Basket.
Some of the items community members can win are a $250 bookstore gift card, an Airbnb gift card, a bottle of wine, a Fairfield mug and wine glasses, free lunch from Garden Catering and more.
Members of the University community, in compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, are considered to be fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their second dose, or two weeks after receiving the single Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Anderson emphasized that the University strongly recommends and encourages its community members to get fully vaccinated and also to receive the booster vaccine.
“Fairfield continues to evaluate all Covid related processes and policies and will communicate any changes for the spring semester at that time,” Anderson said. “Fairfield highly encourages our campus community to receive the booster vaccination, however, according to the CDC, you are considered fully vaccinated with two doses.”
Director of the Student Health Center Julia Duffy MS, APRN, BC echoed Anderson’s statements by saying that “The Student Health Center is recommending all eligible students receive the COVID-19 booster vaccine.”
She warned that, “individuals vaccinated in the spring semester may have waning immunity,” adding that “Receiving a booster vaccination will help prevent ‘breakthrough’ infections and will help protect the individual and our campus community.”
To be eligible for the booster vaccination, one must be fully vaccinated and wait the allotted time from the vaccination. If you have received the Johnson & Johnson Janssen vaccine, you are eligible to receive the booster vaccine at least two months after your shot. If you received the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine, you are eligible for the booster at least six months after your first COVID-19 vaccination.
Junior Hadley Waterbury will be receiving her booster vaccine at the upcoming clinic and “is very excited” to be doing so.
“I am incredibly grateful to the school for making it so easy to receive the shot right here on campus and before we head home for Christmas break,” Waterbury said. “I am already preparing by drinking lots of water this week!”
Students who participate in the booster clinic should send copies of their updated vaccine cards to covidhealth@fairfield.edu. University employees should send their updated vaccine cards to COVIDHR@fairfield.edu. Participants can share and tag @fairfieldu on Instagram after receiving their booster shot at the vaccination clinic Friday.
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