According to LSU’s COVID-19 Reporting Dashboard last updated April 9, 5,810 students and 3,257 professors have reported that they have received their COVID-19 vaccine. There are 32 total active cases of COVID-19 on campus as of April 9, according to the website. In March, the University partnered with the state to begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to the LSU community.
On January 19, LSU Division of Strategic Communications sent out an email stating that the University had been “working closely with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and other state agencies to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the LSU community.” Students, faculty and staff were asked to complete a pre-registration survey if they were interested in getting the vaccine.
Three vaccines have been approved in the U.S. Two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are required, 21 and 28 days apart, respectively. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires one dose.
Sociology junior Myles Jones said around the time of the email a lot of students were very reluctant to get the vaccine as they were “scared of the outcome.”
“My friends and I didn’t want to just sign up for something we had no hard facts about,” Jones said.
Graphic design junior Kyron Wilson said that when he first saw the email, his first thoughts were that he did not want to get the vaccine because he didn’t know the side effects of it.
Another email sent out on March 11 by LSU’s Division of Strategic Communications said the University was partnering with the State of Louisiana to set up a “community-wide mass vaccination site” on campus. The state brought about 800 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the email stated.
“After seeing so many students my age get the vaccine, I was no longer hesitant to get it,” Wilson said.
He said after the last few emails he received from the University, he decided to register to get the vaccine. Wilson received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine on April 1 at Tiger Stadium with the National Guard.
“I was skeptical at first because of how fast the vaccine was made, but seeing that a lot of students are doing okay, I was more open to it,” Kinesiology junior Nylah Lowe said. “Now, I just want to be able to freely enjoy myself while feeling and knowing that I am safe.”
Lowe also received her vaccine on April 1 and said she decided to get the vaccine because she just wanted to be able to go out and feel safe.
“If my friends are okay, I know I’ll be okay. We’ve dealt with COVID for long enough,” she said. “It’s summer and we all just want to have a good time while knowing that we are safe.”
Since Jan. 11, there have been 661 active cases at LSU and 9,800 total tests, according to the website.
