Drexel University recently announced in an email statement April 6 that it plans to offer the COVID-19 vaccine to students, faculty and staff “as soon as possible.”
Utilizing the Behrakis Grand Hall located in the Creese Student Center on Chestnut Street, Drexel plans to offer two types of clinics to distribute vaccinations to those who have scheduled appointments. First, there will be a group of clinics operated by Sunray Pharmacy and staffed by Sunray employees, which will begin distributing vaccines this week. Second, there will be a group of Drexel-operated clinics, which will require a Drexel ID and will begin later in April.
Presently, Drexel plans to restrict access to the COVID-19 vaccine at its center to prioritized groups, aligning with Pennsylvania’s plan. Additionally, decisions on who is eligible to receive the vaccine will depend on the availability of doses and Drexel’s “return to campus” phases.
The Sunray Pharmacy-run clinic in Behrakis Grand Hall, which plans to start administering vaccines this week, is currently serving those in the 1A and 1B groups, and those who are prioritized in 1C.
Marla Gold, Director of Drexel’s Return to Campus Oversight Committee, Subir Sahu, Paul Jensen and Megan Weyler, encourage members of the Drexel community to strongly consider receiving a COVID-19 vaccination when it is available to you.
“Following a year-long pandemic, we are all tired and more than ready for change,” they wrote in an April 6 email statement. “Vaccination is a major step to moving towards a safer and healthier environment.”
Drexel believes most students will qualify for a COVID-19 vaccination under Phase 2, while all employees will qualify under the 1C group for working in higher education. The Philadelphia area is gradually entering 1C, with some members of this population qualifying right now.
Members of the Drexel community who have been, or will be, vaccinated can upload a photo of their COVID-19 vaccination record card to the Drexel Health Checker app. Although this step is not yet required, it will help in the contact tracing process, according to the April 6 email statement.
“Drexel is very pleased to be able to offer the vaccine to students, faculty and professional staff,” the statement reads. “We will continue to work with the city to help all Drexel community members receive the vaccine as soon as possible.”
More information pertaining to Drexel’s vaccination plans can be found online at its Response to Coronavirus website. Additionally, information about the COVID-19 vaccination can be found on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Covid-19 vaccines website.