This past week, Quinnipiac University held a two-day vaccine clinic for their students. In a year riddled with protocols and uncertainty at Quinnipiac, students are unsure of what to expect when they return for the summer and fall semesters.
“I’m nervous to see how things play out,” said Leigh Giffault, an occupational therapy student at Quinnipiac. “I was lucky enough to get the vaccine a few months ago, but I’m not sure how it will impact me next fall or if I need it again for fieldwork.”
The initial registration email from the university was delivered on April 22, which announced the school would supply the first dose ofthe Pfizer vaccine on April 29 and 30. The clinic took place in Burt Kahn Court, one of the school’s athletic facilities.
With the second dose being offered from May 21 to 24, some students are more concerned than others about the vaccine process.
“I think it’s great that Quinnipiac is offering this to the population,” said Ryan Heng, a finance major at QU. “But I do have my concerns about what I can do next semester if I don’t get another vaccine or if the one I already got becomes invalid.”
The clinic was run by the university in partnership with Griffin Hospital. Employees of the hospital were handling the registration process, while students such as Elizabeth Callao, a senior nursing student, administered shots to fellow classmates.
It is unclear at the moment what exactly students will or will not be able to do during the 2021-2022 academic year. The campus as a whole has been limited in its amenities and in-person activities, limiting the overall experience that comes with living on a college campus.
While the vaccine clinic is a step in the right direction to keeping the community safe, those who elect to decline any sort of vaccination could have a much different experience in September.
As the academic year comes to a close, the university has returned to yet another yellow alert level, with 73 active cases as of this past Thursday, according to Quinnipiac. Members of the Quinnipiac community are holding their breath to see what comes next, as the shortened semester ends in less than two weeks.
“In a perfect world I would be watching a hockey game on York Hill with my friends next fall,” Heng said. “Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait and see.”