North Carolina accelerates vaccine eligibility for students

By Owen Covington, staff

March 25, 2021

N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that college students living in dormitories or apartment complexes will become eligible to receive the vaccine on March 31, and all residents who are at least 16 years old will be eligible on April 7.

Students at Elon University and other colleges and universities around North Carolina who are living in dormitories or apartment complexes will now be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination on Wednesday, March 31, N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday. Additionally, all residents who are at least 16 years old will be eligible for vaccination on April 7, the governor said.

The announcement means the vast majority of Elon students will be able to receive the vaccine earlier than originally anticipated. Currently, only students who work for the university or who have high-risk medical conditions are eligible for vaccination as part of the state’s vaccination Group 4.

State officials explained that the accelerated timeline for vaccine eligibility will allow the state to double down on its “fast and fair” approach to getting shots in arms.

Elon students, staff and faculty are strongly encouraged to get the vaccine wherever and whenever it is available to them. Everyone is asked to get vaccinated as soon as possible, to upload their vaccination record to the university’s web portal, and to help others get appointments and get vaccinated. Thanks to the expanding availability of the vaccines in North Carolina and the state’s vaccination plan, Elon hopes to get up to 80 percent of the campus community vaccinated by early May.

Elon has been approved by state health officials to be a vaccine distribution site, with its ability to dispense vaccinations dependent upon vaccine supplies. The university will share details about future on-campus vaccination clinics once they are available.

Once students are eligible to receive a vaccine, they may visit the sites below for assistance in making a vaccination appointment. More information is also available on the university’s dedicated vaccination website.

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