As students and faculty return to campus for the spring, Binghamton University has continued to post B-Line News Additions encouraging all nonexempt students to receive their COVID-19 booster vaccinations.

During winter break, BU President Harvey Stenger had announced in a Jan. 3 B-Line that all students were required to receive a booster vaccination to be able to live on campus or attend classes in person during this semester. The B-Line was sent following a requirement instated by New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul and SUNY.

“The goal is to provide a safe, healthy campus for the spring semester,” Stenger wrote. “The booster shot is the next step in this ongoing battle. It has been proven to be safe and effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and limiting its effects.”

The University required all nonexempt students with an in-person presence to receive a vaccination before entering campus this semester. Over the past week, the University has continued to post B-Line Additions emphasizing that students who had tested positive for COVID-19 during winter break are not excused from receiving the booster shot.

Ryan Yarosh, senior director of media and public relations, said that while BU has made efforts to vaccinate students, it is unable to provide statistics as the vaccination process is an ongoing effort.

“We provided 430 boosters to students, faculty and staff during the week before move-in, through partnerships with Walmart and the Broome County Health Department, with the assistance of [School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SOPPS)] students,” Yarosh said. “While we are making progress, it will take a few more weeks for us to provide a more accurate picture.”

Nidhi Mehta, a junior majoring in biology, expressed concern over potential instances of nonexempt students not receiving their booster vaccination.

“I am pro-vaccine and I personally would recommend everyone to get their shot if they can because COVID-19 has ruined the livelihoods of many, and since there is a vaccine that can protect us from a virus that affects us so adversely, then it’s just common sense to take it,” Metha said. “I will admit that it’s totally normal to feel hesitant and have questions, but there are valid resources out there that are readily available at your disposal. By getting the vaccine, you can protect those who are unable to get one for their own protection.”

Richard Moose, medical director of the Decker Student Health Services Center, along with Yarosh, listed information on where students can get the booster vaccination and steps for how they can upload their immunization records to the Decker Student Health Services Patient Portal.

“In New York state, eligible individuals can receive a booster vaccine that can differ from their previous immunization (e.g., Pfizer vaccine with a Moderna booster) at various state-run [COVID-19] vaccine sites, or at your local pharmacy,” Moose wrote in an email. “Once completed, students should login in using [their] PODS username and password and upload a copy of your vaccine documentation to the ‘COVID Immunizations’ on the Uploads section of the Decker [Student] Health [Services Patient] Portal.”

Siddharth Nippani, an undeclared freshman, commented on the impact that social media may have had on the amount of misinformation surrounding the vaccine.

“I believe there is a fair amount of misinformation surrounding getting the vaccine, primarily because many people get information from unreliable sources like Instagram, Twitter and YouTube,” Nippani said. “On most of these platforms, people are persuaded by information that either goes unchecked or consists of untrue interpretations. So I believe that if students took more time to learn about the pandemic from reliable sources, there would be significantly less misinformation surrounding the vaccine.”

Stephanie Barrett, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, said she believes that the University’s vaccine policies are important to help regulate the safety of not only its students but also others within the Binghamton area.

“I think it’s very important that [BU] takes the necessary steps to keep everyone safe during the pandemic,” Barrett said. “By getting the boosters we can protect not just ourselves but also the larger Binghamton community.”