Adrian, MI – Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist toured Adrian College’s Student Health Center on Friday to observe operations and check out new equipment purchased to store COVID-19 vaccines.
Gilchrist also spoke to Adrian College President Jeffrey Docking and a small group of guests and commended Adrian College for its comprehensive response to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our administration has been working around the clock to expand our vaccine program in an efficient and equitable manner so that every Michigander has access to the safe and effective vaccines,” Gilchrist said. “Vaccination efforts like the ones at Adrian College are crucial to beating COVID-19. This virus can severely impact anyone, so it is crucial that college students get vaccinated, especially before they return home from school, to prevent the spread of COVID- 19. The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can get back to doing the things we love together.”
Adrian College is one of 26 educational institutions to partner with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) in order to vaccinate students before they return home for the summer. The effort came to a sudden halt on April 13 after approximately 16,000 Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses that were shipped to local health departments associated with participating colleges and universities across the state were pulled from the shelf due to complications from blood clotting.
Adrian College was still able to host a COVID-19 Vaccination Day on April 14 in partnership with Rite Aid and gave 150 students and staff a dose of the Moderna vaccine. The second doses will be distributed on campus to the participants on May 12.
The pause in distribution of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was lifted on Friday, April 23. Adrian College is currently looking at when to schedule another campus wide vaccination day to provide those doses to students.
“As most of our students will be leaving campus after our commencement weekend, we are looking to distribute the Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses the state allotted us when they return in August for the next school year,” Adrian College Student Health Center Director Emily Kist said.
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*Media courtesy of Mickey Alvarado, Marketing Specialist-Office of Marketing and Public Relations at Adrian College*