Binghamton University has begun to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to its students and plans to vaccinate all BU students before the end of the semester.

On Monday, April 5, BU students received an email informing them that the University would be administering the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine on campus. The vaccination site is located in the Mandela Room in the University Union, where surveillance COVID-19 testing has been taking place and will continue to take place this semester. Appointments are necessary to receive a vaccination. An email will be sent out each week with information on how to register for appointments. The link will change each week, and the number of appointments will vary depending on the amount of vaccines BU receives. Students must bring their BU ID, a printed New York State Vaccination Form and a printed and signed Vaccination Screening and Consent form to their appointment on campus. If a student is over 15 minutes late to their appointment, their vaccine will be offered to someone on the waitlist. BU faculty and staff can join the waitlist to receive such unused vaccines.

On Friday, April 9, SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras visited the University’s testing and vaccination site. After the tour, a press conference was held in the University Union where Malatras, BU President Harvey Stenger, Khaleel James, president of the Student Association (SA) and a senior double-majoring in economics and human development, and a student who recently received her vaccine on campus spoke.

Malatras acknowledged Stenger’s “phenomenal” leadership in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and explained that all SUNY schools plan on vaccinating their students before the semester is over.

“We’re here today because we feel like we’re turning a page,” Malatras said. “We were happy to work with the state of New York and we thank the state of New York for setting aside a special allocation for our students so we can vaccinate them as they go home. We’ve received to date 21,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is important because that is a one-and-done shot, so, as our residential students are finishing their semester and finishing their studies, they can sign up and get the final shot.”

Malatras stated that the vaccine does not need to be mandated at this time since students are eager to get theirs. According to Decker Student Health Services Center, all 500 vaccinations that were available for the first week have been scheduled.

According to Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations at BU, the University plans on administering around 7,000 doses of the vaccine in total.

“Our interest is in making it as easy as possible for students to get vaccinated while still here in Binghamton,” Yarosh wrote in an email. “As has been the pattern at other vaccination sites, we expect to start with a modest supply and then increase availability significantly in subsequent weeks.”

According to Malatras, the vaccine will enable a return to normalcy on campus.

“The vaccine will allow us to fully reopen in the fall,” Malatras said. “The vaccine will allow us to bring back all of our students for full in-person experience, which is what we really want because our students deserve it. They have gone through a lot over this past year or so, but they have stepped up in major ways.”

James said he was proud of the efforts that the University has made and recognized that the actions of the University can have a larger impact.

“We have been tackling [COVID-19, and] we have been focusing on our students [but] also we are part of a community as well,” James said. “Which is why we are taking it so seriously because we know that we are sharing a community with people that have allowed us to come into their neighborhoods. I’m from Queens, I am not from Binghamton, New York. I am visiting someone’s home.”

Stenger introduced JoanMarie Leone, an undeclared freshman, who received her vaccine directly before the press conference. Leone said she rushed to make an appointment when she found out about the University’s on-campus vaccine distribution.

“I was thinking of getting it prior, but I didn’t really know where [to go], I was probably going to go to [the site at 10 Gannett Drive in] Johnson City to get it, but it was definitely much easier to just get it done here,” Leone said.

Joe Vernice, a junior majoring in English, also got his vaccine on campus.

“I honestly think it’s pretty great to have the vaccine on campus, I wasn’t expecting it from [BU],” Vernice wrote in an email. “As for my experience, it was pretty smooth, and I didn’t have to wait too long.”

Holly Farwell, a clinical instructor in the Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, is teaching students how to administer the vaccine in the event that there is a need for more vaccinators. Farwell is utilizing Decker’s Innovative Simulation and Practice Center (ISPC) to train junior and senior Decker students, but registered nurses (RN) and emergency medical technicians (EMT) that have been trained are currently administering the vaccinations on campus.

“[Decker College] was notified by the governor of the need for universities state-wide to supply their students with vaccine education,” Farwell wrote in an email. “Our faculty at [Decker College] came together to utilize the vaccine checklist and develop stations in our simulation lab so that we could educate the students properly and sign them off on their knowledge and skills. I am very passionate about this mission and believe that our students will be able to utilize their knowledge and skills to help communities across the state and country.”

New York residents who are aged 16 or older are eligible to receive the vaccine. Students can also get vaccinated at the New York state vaccination site located at 10 Gannett Drive in Johnson City. This location is using the two-shot Pfizer vaccine. At other locations, students must bring their driver’s license or other proof of identification, proof that they are a resident of New York state, their insurance card and a copy of their appointment registration paperwork. Insurance is not required to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, which is free of cost.

Yarosh identified the on-campus vaccination site as an accomplishment.

“We are excited to be able to offer the opportunity for students to get vaccinated right on campus,” Yarosh wrote. “University staff have worked endless hours operating the testing site and to now see that transform into a place where students can be vaccinated is truly a milestone we are proud of.”