Health Science students completing clinicals this semester were deemed a “priority group for immunization” by the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) at Quinnipiac.

An email from the CDC’s Vaccine Administration Management System was sent before spring semester classes began, providing a link to schedule an appointment with participating clinics for a COVID-19 vaccine. To be qualified for the vaccine, students would have to be working in an inpatient setting.

Gillian Chung, a third-year nursing major, was thrilled to hear she was qualified to receive the vaccine.

“I was on that so fast,” Chung said. “I found the closest appointment and got the vaccine within two days.”

After getting the Moderna vaccine, Chung said she had a muscle ache for a day and a mild headache that wore off after sleeping.

“There’s symptoms, but obviously I would rather have that than Covid,” Chung said.

Chung took to Asian Student Alliance’s Instagram story the day she received the vaccine and shared her experience, hoping to influence student’s opinions on receiving the vaccine positively.

“I get the flu shot every year and get vaccinations when I can,” Chung said. “I know people think differently, but I feel grateful for all the research put into this vaccine. I hope by posting that I got the vaccine and that I am fine that other people will.”

Health science students doing clinicals this semester were made aware of the possibility of working alongside COVID-19 patients after being assigned.

“I found out a few days ago that my clinical site this semester is on a covid unit. It made me feel better that I am already vaccinated even though it is scary to be on a covid floor,” Chung said.

Sabrina Harmon, a third-year nursing major, says that not receiving the risk of the vaccine could pose a threat to the students potentially working with COVID-19 patients.

“I could potentially have a Covid positive patient and maybe they don’t know it or I don’t know it. So you just need to protect yourself as best as you can,” Harmon said. “I definitely wanted to get it if I was able to get it regardless of whether the School of Nursing had said it was recommended for us.”

Clinical students, just like people working in hospitals, are required to wear N95 masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from sick patients.

Quinnipiac students will be required to take a COVID-19 test every week of February, but students in clinicals are unaware if the university will provide weekly COVID-19 tests after.

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