ALBANY, N.Y. (WKBW) — State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced a program has been launched to vaccinate residential students before the end of the spring semester.
According to SUNY, it has received 18,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine that will be distributed to 34 SUNY campuses across the state. It is working to secure more doses to be delivered in weekly installments.
SUNY says because the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires just one dose thousands of students can receive their vaccine before the end of the spring semester without having to wait weeks for a second dose.
“With college students becoming eligible to receive the vaccine today, SUNY strongly encourages all students to schedule their vaccine appointments before the semester ends, and if possible, to choose points of distribution set aside specifically for college students. The availability of the one-shot J&J vaccine will be particularly helpful to residential students, who may be scheduled to leave campus for summer break before they can receive a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine,” a release says.
More than 350,000 students are receiving email messages to remind them of their eligibility.
Statewide SUNY houses 44 state and county-run vaccination sites on 36 campuses, it says the sites have administered more than 900,000 vaccines since December.
