Student vaccinations

Dear Heritage College students,

Many of you have reached out to ask about access to vaccine for medical students. We, like you, are eager to see all medical and other health professions students vaccinated as soon as possible. However, rollout of COVID vaccine in Ohio is complex and dependent on both federal and state allocations.

The State of Ohio receives notification of allocations from the federal government every Tuesday, after which, they distribute to the counties and health systems. The quantities have been far lower than Ohio Department of Health vaccination goals require. Because of the limited allocations, distribution is limited to health systems and county health departments. The Heritage College does not receive direct distribution and is not eligible for distribution of vaccine under the current guidelines.

The distribution to and uptake of vaccine has been variable in each health system and county health department. As a result, some health systems have had excess vaccine from 1a to share with health professions students, but most have not. We have been strongly advocating for access to all health professions, with a focus on those who are currently in clinical settings.

First- and second-year students have all completed the home COVID PCR test from Vault as part of our return to campus. These students will now be required to complete the test every two weeks as part of our ongoing efforts to maximize screening to identify asymptomatic cases. This, in addition to continued vigilance with masking, social distancing and hand washing, will help to mitigate risks as you participate in scheduled on-campus academic activities.

We continue to communicate with the Ohio Department of Health, our clinical education network partners and many county health departments to get the most up-to-date information. Rest assured, we are advocating for all of our students to receive vaccinations when they become available.

Sincerely,

Ken Johnson, D.O.

Chief Medical Affairs Officer, Ohio University

Executive Dean, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine

Gillian H. Ice, Ph.D., M.P.H.

Special Assistant to the President for Public Health Operations

Professor of Social Medicine, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine