Vaccine updates from the Elon Ready & Resilient and Infectious Disease committees

Colleagues,

North Carolina health officials have determined that all Elon University employees (including student employees) working in-person are part of Group 3 in the state’s distribution plan and will be eligible to receive a vaccination beginning March 10, 2021. However, due to limited vaccine supply, Elon faculty and staff may not be able to get an immediate appointment to be vaccinated.

We strongly recommend that staff and faculty get vaccinated whenever and wherever it is available to them. Staff who receive the vaccine may take up to two hours of pandemic leave to travel to their appointment and receive the vaccination, if the appointment time falls within scheduled work hours.

Targeted communications will be shared with students and supervisors of student employees soon, as student-employees will also be eligible starting March 10, 2021.

Will I be able to get my shot on the Elon campus?

Elon University has been approved as a vaccine distribution site, but we have not yet been allocated any vaccine doses or notified when we will receive vaccine supplies. As soon as we know more about our capacity to offer vaccines on campus, we will let you know and explain sign up procedures.

While Elon is awaiting vaccine distributions, how can I make an appointment to be vaccinated at another location?

• If you are 65 or older, immediately go to NCDHHS Find a Vaccine Location, search by your zip code, and contact one of the local vaccine providers on the list.
• If you are 64 or younger and work in-person on campus, starting March 10, go to NCDHHS Find a Vaccine Location, search by your zip code, and contact one of the providers that lists open appointment slots.
• For each vaccine provider/location, you may have to click through a number of screens to find open appointments or to be directed to an appointment phone line.
• You may also call the NC COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center (1-877-490-6642) to get help finding a vaccine provider near you.

We strongly recommend that you get the vaccine whenever and wherever it is available to you. For your information, we have included some more information about the safety and effectiveness of the currently available COVID-19 vaccinations (Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson):

• The vaccines are tested, safe, and effective.
• More than 70,000 people volunteered in clinical trials for vaccines to ensure vaccines are safe and effective in preventing COVID illness. Volunteers were included from every race and ethnicity.
• Vaccines were found to help prevent COVID-19 and are effective in preventing hospitalization and death, with no serious safety concerns noted in the clinical trials.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensure that vaccines are safe and can prevent people from getting COVID-19. Like all approved drugs, vaccines continued to be monitored for safety even after they are in use.
• You cannot get COVID-19 from the vaccine. You may have temporary reactions like a sore or itchy arm, headache, or feeling tired and achy for a day or two after receiving the vaccine.
• The vaccines are free of charge to all North Carolina residents.

Stay tuned for more updates. We will share more information as it becomes available.

We look forward to all Elon employees getting their vaccinations soon,

The Infectious Disease and Ready & Resilient Committees