WCU to offer students Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine
By Brian Mullen
Western Carolina University’s regional COVID-19 vaccine clinic will receive a delivery of 1,700 Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccines next week that will be earmarked for students living in on-campus student housing and off-campus shared residences.
“Thanks to our partners at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, we’re excited about the opportunity to administer Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccines to our students,” said Cortnee Lingerfelt, director of WCU's regional COVID-19 vaccine clinic.
The Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine requires one shot, which allows WCU students to be fully vaccinated before leaving campus following the spring semester. The WCU regional vaccine clinic will be open to students first April 7-9. Students must register for these appointments by calling the call center at 828-227-8222 beginning Monday, March 29. Remaining appointments will be open to the public on April 5.
“Providing our students access to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is yet another step in preparing our students and the university at large for a return to as close to normal operations this fall semester,” said Richard Starnes, WCU provost. “Our WCU vaccine clinic is open to all groups on April 1, which offers us a better opportunity of achieving a normal campus life to the fullest and safest extent possible.”
For students with questions regarding getting the vaccine, a dedicated email address has been set up to express those concerns at vaccinequestions@wcu.edu.
WCU is moving forward with plans to resume as close to normal operations this fall, given the current COVID-19 trends and projections, and as WCU’s vaccine clinic is helping to vaccinate the Western North Carolina region.
The resumption of “normal operations” will include an increase of in-person classes, fall sports, campus events and activities, community engagement, and a return to full occupancy residential living. All buildings and facilities, including dining operations, the library and the recreation center will return to normal hours and increased capacity.
The clinic is operating out of WCU’s Health and Human Sciences building, located at 3971 Little Savannah Rd. in Cullowhee, and vaccines are available by appointment only.
For more information, visit vaccine.wcu.edu.
