Hunter Loy
Black & Magenta Staff Writer
Muskingum University is working with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department to try and determine when a COVID-19 vaccine would be available to the campus community.
Sarah Young-Dickson
“The Muskingum University Wellness Center is working with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department for when the vaccines will be available to college-age students. At this time, there is no information as to when the vaccines will be available for this age group,” said Sarah Young-Dickson, interim director of the Muskingum University Wellness Center.
The question of vaccines for campus students, faculty, and staff has been on the minds of many. However, it does not look as if it is going to be anytime too soon. According to the Ohio Department of Health, there is yet to be a set timeline for college-age students to receive the vaccine.
Although it’s unknown exactly when the vaccine will be available, there are already discussions on possibly bringing the vaccine directly to campus, in the same way the flu vaccine was given during the fall semester.
“There has been continuous discussions regarding bringing the COVID vaccines to campus when it is available to our college-age group, faculty, and staff. Muskingum University will be working closely with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department when more information is available,” said Young-Dickson.
Another question is the potential cost of the vaccine. For many university students, money can be tight, and a vaccine that could possibly consist of multiple doses can be worrisome.
“This is unknown at this time,” said Young-Dickson in regard to the potential cost of the vaccine.
Vaccines purchased by the government are going to be free for those who wish to take it, but once government purchased vaccines run out, it is unclear what the price will ultimately be, or if the government will continually purchase vaccines through the end of the pandemic.
There are still many questions surrounding the availability of vaccines and their availability to the public. Vaccines have only started rolling out in the past few months, and their availability is still restricted to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.
See Muskingum University’s COVID-19 reporting dashboard, updated on Tuesdays and Fridays.
