It was announced that on April 15, those 16 and older in San Diego County would be eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
San Diego State is providing help to students who are struggling to find a distribution site by offering multiple pathways through their website.
“I think we as a society need to make it as easy and accessible as possible for people who want the vaccine, even the people who don’t want the vaccine, give them the information and let them decide,” third-year public administration major Heather Azevedo said. “Having that collaborative effort will definitely go a long way.”
SDSU acknowledges that some students live farther away from the direct campuses, driving all the way there could be more of a hassle than receiving the vaccine at a local distribution center or doctor’s office.
“We do have some amount of vaccines that we’ve been able to get through Student Health but continue working to help get students get vaccinated wherever is convenient,” Student Health Services Director Libby Skiles said.
Skiles notes that SDSU is finding creative ideas about what options exist for students. As well as making this service available at the main campus as well as in Imperial Valley.
“Really what SDSU is doing is trying to help connect students to information on all of the pathways that they have available,” Skiles said.
SDSU is requiring that students upload the cards they are given at the time of vaccination, on healtheconnect, the same platform where students upload their other immunizations. They are offering incentives like gift cards for students who upload their vaccination cards at the end of each month. Giving students information and options is all in the hopes of encouraging students to get vaccinated.
“SDSU continues to encourage the entire campus community, when eligible, to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as it serves as a key line of defense against the coronavirus,” SDSU said in a statement. “Additionally, the university is proud to host a county-operated COVID-19 vaccination site at Viejas Arena, which is open by appointment to eligible members of the general public and campus community. The county-operated site at Viejas Arena is separate from SDSU’s Student Health Services, which also continues administering vaccines to eligible faculty, staff and students dependent on vaccination allocations from the state.”
The Viejas Arena vaccine center has been distributing 1,500 vaccines a day, its greatest success being the high student turnout for appointments.
The fate of a life beyond Zoom and of a return to campus life hangs in the air, as far Covid protocols go.
“What we do expect (is that) students will either be tested regularly and often or provide proof of vaccination.” Skiles said. “Those will be required for the fall.”
SDSU is still waiting on an answer from their health agency, as well as county and state health guidelines on how frequently testing will take place, “we haven’t finalized all the information, but we’ll have information soon,” Skiles said.
Skiles is still adamant that students continue to take necessary precautions in their day-to-day life; to still wear their face coverings and follow the guidelines in place so they can surpass the pandemic, become immune and return to daily life.
“I’m very hopeful for the fall,” Skiles said. “The more people that we get that are vaccinated, the better that fall looks for us in terms of what we’re going to be able to do.”
If you need support or would like to confirm that you are already vaccinated, please email the SDSU Student Health Services team at covidvaccine@sdsu.edu.
