Originally published in the December 10th, 2021 edition.
Sam Boudreau
News Editor
On Dec. 6 and 9, The College of Wooster held a COVID-19 Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinic for The College of Wooster community at the Scot Center. The College will also hold a booster clinic on Dec. 13. “We started with one clinic and rapidly expanded to three to accommodate demand,” said President Sarah Bolton. While the Wayne County Health Department previously supplied the College with vaccines, the Wooster Community Hospital supplied the College with booster doses for these clinics. “Our ability to add further clinics will depend on what is possible for our partners at the hospital and the health department,” Bolton said. “Fortunately, booster shots are also available at no cost at many other locations in the Wooster community, including most pharmacies. So far, 350 college students and employees have signed up for the College’s booster clinic. The College, however, will not require students to submit their booster vaccine record to the College’s task force. “We have not asked for booster records at this time,” Bolton said.
Matt Prill ’23 received his booster shot at the College’s booster clinic. “For me, it was fine,” Prill said. “I did not really have many adverse effects from it except a sore arm, slightly tired and had a headache.” However, other students have mentioned some side effects, including Bijeta Lamichhane ’22. “The day after I received my booster shot, I woke up with a really bad headache that lasted the whole day,” Lamichhane said. “I was anticipating some side effects because they were bad when I got my second shot, so at least I was not unprepared.”
As concerns continue to grow around the Omicron variant, the CDC has also expanded COVID-19 booster recommendations for individuals who are 18 years or older. While early studies show that Omicron is not as severe as previous variants, it appears to be more contagious, according to the New York Times. In accordance with the CDC, the Ohio Department of Health and the American College Health Association, Bolton said that the College’s task force will monitor the Omicron variant. “Scientific and public health information on the Omicron variant is just now beginning to emerge,” Bolton said, “and we expect to know much more in a few weeks.” Students can expect the College’s COVID-19 guidance before the Spring semester. “We will review our practices and protocols relating to testing, masking, vaccine requirements, quarantine and other matters as soon as we have that new information from public health experts (likely at the end of this month),” Bolton said, “and will share plans in early January.”
With the Delta variant making up the majority of cases in the United States, Bolton said the College community must focus on getting vaccinated. “Right now, the Delta variant is predominant in the US (well over 99 per cent of cases) and so we know that the most important things for students and everyone to do are to get vaccinated if they are not vaccinated, and to get a booster.”