Local colleges begin vaccination clinics
Clark State set to host clinic next week, Wittenberg completes on-campus event.
Clark State College and the Clark County Combined Health District will host an on-campus COVID19 vaccination clinic next week that will be open to the public.
The clinic announcement comes as Wittenberg University completed its on-campus vaccination clinic for students and staff on Thursday.
Clark State’s clinic will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on April 15 at the college’s main campus, 570 E. Leffel Lane, Springfield. The clinic is expected to receive 300 doses of vaccine, according to a statement from the college.
In addition to offering the Pfizer vaccine to all Clark State students and employees, the clinic will also be available to student and staff families and the community. Second doses will be administered during a clinic on May 6.
“Clark State has demonstrated time and time again its commitment to the health, safety and wellness of the communities we serve and we want to provide
access to the COVID vaccine for students, employees and community members as part of this commitment,” Clark State President Dr. Jo Alice Blondin said.
Blondin said Clark County has been “fortunate” to have a vaccination effort in community health clinics like Rocking Horse Community Health Center and the CCCHD’S semi-permanent clinic at the Upper Valley Mall.
“Clark State wishes to be complementary in these efforts,” Blondin said.
Vaccinat ions at Clark State’s clinic will be administered by Clark State Practical Nursing and Registered Nursing faculty and clinical nursing students.
Dr. Rhoda Sommers, dean of health, human and public services at Clark State, said the nursing students are well-prepared for this event and the nursing faculty have also been engaged in vaccine distribution and will be on-site to support students.
“I’m so pleased that our practical nursing and registered nursing students have the opportunity to help host a vaccination clinic on our Leffel Lane campus,” Sommers said. “Not only is this helpful for the community, Clark State employees, and other students, but this also allows our students to have first-hand experience in working at the front lines of a global pandemic.”
While walk-ins will be welcomed at the clinic, preregistration is encouraged to secure a vaccination.
Online registration is available at https://armorvax-app.azurewebsites.net/home/Invitation?code=clr-k21.
Wittenberg nursing students and staff also assisted with vaccinations at the university’s clinic, which vaccinated about 270 students and staff.
“This is a tremendous experience for our students and something they never would’ve gotten to take part in under normal circumstances,” Dr. Marie Bashaw, chair of Wittenberg’s nursing program said. “They’ve been able to use their skills to maintain and enhance the quality of life for campus and the community.”
Gov. Mike Dewine announced last week that the state would offer COVID vaccines on college campuses in hopes of increasing vaccination rates and getting students vaccinated before they return home for the summer.
“By offering vaccinations on college campuses, we believe more students will opt to get the vaccine and they’ll get it with their peers,” Dewine said.
Clark County had a total of 13,379 cases and 286 deaths of the coronavirus as of Thursday afternoon, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
As of Thursday, 44,320 Clark County residents had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to ODH. That’s about 33% of the county’s total population. Nearly 24% of the county’s population has been completely vaccinated.