As of Feb. 7, the university does not have a hard number for how many community members are boosted, in part because some community members are not yet eligible to receive the shot, said Cary Anderson, Ed.D., associate provost and vice president of Student Life.
“We are still processing this information, including booster delays based on a past positive diagnosis and exemptions,” Anderson wrote in response to written questions from The Hawk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people are eligible to receive a booster at least five months after they completed their initial vaccine series. If they are past that five-month period and contract covid they should wait to receive the booster until they have recovered and are out of isolation.
Chloe Mendoza ’25 was in the process of booking her appointment for her covid booster shot on Jan. 3, the day she became eligible for her shot, when she decided to get a covid test. She tested positive.
After testing positive, the Student Health Center instructed Mendoza to request a delay from the university for submitting her booster information.
The university allows community members to request up to a 90-day extension for submitting their booster information following a positive covid test. Community members are then required to submit booster information within 30 days of becoming eligible.
Mendoza said she is planning to get her booster shot after the 90-day waiting period.
Ben Gerardi ’24 is eligible to get the booster shot but has not yet done so.
“I haven’t found the time really,” Gerardi said. “It’s not one of my priorities. I’ve just been really busy with school and other things. I should be making time for it but I just haven’t.”
The deadline to submit proof of a booster shot passed on Feb. 4.
“For those who did not provide vaccination information there was a hold placed on their Nest account. There will be a similar outcome for inaction regarding boosters,” Anderson said.
As of Feb. 7, Gerardi said he is still able to access the Nest, the university’s information portal, and has not received any information from the university regarding his booster status. He said if he eventually loses access to The Nest, he will get boosted.
“The only reason I would get it is if it’s required,” Gerardi said. “If they do kick me off the Nest, then yeah, I’m going to go get my booster.”
Pfizer boosters will be available at the Feb. 9 clinic. Those who received either Moderna or Johnson & Johnson for their first round of vaccines are still eligible for a Pfizer booster shot, according to the CDC.
