In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, Elon University’s top priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of students and employees. Elon is also mobilizing campus facilities and personnel to support the broader Alamance County community, the region and the state in implementing the vaccination effort. Currently, the university is planning to:

• Inform students, employees and other stakeholders about vaccination phases and scheduling
• Educate the university and our broader community about the development, efficacy and importance of the vaccine, as well as the individual and community benefits of receiving the vaccine as soon as it is available
• Support the Alamance County Health Department with vaccine distribution, partnering on logistical, technical, educational or communication support as needed

Elon University’s efforts are being coordinated by the Infectious Disease Response Team, headed by Associate Vice President for Student Life Jana Lynn Patterson and University Physician Ginette Archinal. They have already taken many steps to support vaccination efforts, including the following:

• Provided information to Elon employees aged 65 and over to help them make arrangements to receive vaccinations from the Alamance County Health Department
• Recruited student volunteers who can serve in medical and non-medical roles
• Arranged for the vaccination of about 150 students, faculty and staff who provide direct patient care on campus and in the region, including medical staff in the Ellington Health Center, the School of Health Sciences and Phoenix athletics trainers
• Applied to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) to be qualified as a direct vaccination provider
• Created a rapid-action logistics plan and talked with external providers to prepare for administering vaccinations on campus, if allowed to do so

Vaccination groups and timing (subject to change)

Current information indicates that all Elon faculty and staff who are age 65 and older are in Group 2 of the North Carolina vaccination phases. Group 2 vaccinations are currently in progress, but limited due to a shortage of vaccine supplies. (see details of the phases below)

All other faculty and staff who are working on campus, including Harvest Table and Inn at Elon employees, are included in Group 3. Vaccinations for Group 3 are projected to begin Feb. 24 starting with K-12 educators, childcare providers and school personnel. Vaccinations are projected to begin March 10 for additional Group 3 frontline workers, including those in higher education.

Students and others who have high-risk medical conditions are included in Group 4. All other students are in Group 5. Because of limited vaccine supplies, the state has not yet given a firm estimate on when those in Groups 4 and 5 may be eligible to receive their first doses.

The roll-out plan for vaccinations has been evolving over the past several weeks and the current groupings and timings of the vaccine availability are subject to frequent change. For the most current information, monitor the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services vaccine information webpage.

About these safe and effective vaccines (source: NCDHHS)

• The COVID-19 vaccines were built upon years of work to develop vaccines for similar viruses
• Tested, safe and effective: More than 70,000 people volunteered in clinical trials for two vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) to see if they are safe and work to prevent COVID-19 illness. Volunteers included Black/African Americans, Hispanics/LatinX, Asians and others. To date, the vaccines are 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 with no serious safety concerns noted in the clinical trials. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) makes sure the vaccines are safe and can prevent people from getting COVID-19. Like all drugs, vaccine safety continues to be monitored after they are in use. As of January 27, more than 82 million doses had been administered in 59 countries, with about 4 million new doses given every day.
• You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. You may have temporary reactions like a sore arm, headache or feeling tired and achy for a day or two after receiving the vaccine.
• Vaccine ingredients: The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines use mRNA to give the cells in your body the instructions to make a protein that safely teaches your body how to make an antibody to fight the real COVID-19. Your body destroys the mRNA and gets rid of it. It doesn’t stay nor does it alter any DNA in your body. The only other ingredients in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are salt, sugar and fat. The two COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States do not contain eggs, preservatives, fetal tissue, stem cells, mercury or latex.
• Take your shot at no cost. The COVID-19 vaccine will be available for free, whether or not you have insurance.