Eligibility for coronavirus vaccinations across Kentucky is expanding at a rapid pace. An increasing number of university students could see injections as soon as April.
Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education Vice President Travis Powell says requiring vaccinations before students head home after the Spring semester is unlikely. “There certainly wouldn’t be no policy from CPE mandating it. I haven’t heard that any of the campuses are going to do that. Obviously, anything can change at any moment, especially during this pandemic. But, to this point we’ve not heard of any institution of just going down the road of mandating the vaccine,” said Powell.
Powell added getting vaccinated while still in school may be preferable over waiting until the summer months. “Depending on where they’re from, potentially it may or may not be easier for them to do so. I mean we’ve got students in Kentucky obviously from all over the country and all over the world and Kentucky’s done a really good job of its vaccine rollout and it may not be as easy in some of the other states they go home to,” explained Powell.
Encouraging students to get the COVID-19 vaccine is something getting attention on Kentucky campuses. At EKU, for instance, students are being asked to get vaccinated whenever they can. Those students scheduling shots this spring need to be aware that providers often prefer a second injection be done at the same location as the first. At the University of Kentucky, students are also being strongly encouraged to schedule a vaccination.
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