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Here is this week’s update regarding our ongoing College-wide efforts to safeguard the health of our community. Please note important news regarding the ongoing testing clinics and vital information about the COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccination Update
Getting the safe, effective, and tested COVID-19 vaccine is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself, keep your family and others who are important to you safe, and move our campus and community toward a greater sense of normalcy. In addition to protecting yourself and your loved ones, as more people get vaccinated, there is less opportunity for new variants of the virus to develop and more hope that we can end the pandemic.
I know we all have heard the news about the pause to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, while the report is alarming, I would like to offer a different perspective. Our GBSA President Sierra provided a good comparison to the clotting resulting from the COVID-19 vaccine to more common everyday medicines we take such as contraceptives. “The risk of blood clots from birth control pills is 1 in 1,000 and is considered a low-risk side effect,” wrote Rebecca Wind. “The risk from the J&J vaccine is 1 in 1,000,000". The full article can be read here.
Note: The agencies discussing this have advised individuals to NOT stop taking their birth control, because the benefits of those medications still outweigh the risks of side effects for healthy individuals, just like being vaccinated against COVID-19. If you have concerns about the vaccine and your medical history, please speak with your doctor, or call the student health center to speak with Susan Smith if contacting another medical professional is inaccessible.
I believe the pause also demonstrates how strong and safe the vaccine distribution system is operating under. To identify six cases of abnormal side effects out of millions of patients is remarkable. The combination of clinical trials and vaccine safety monitoring systems in place have made the COVID-19 vaccine distribution system, the most intensive safety monitoring system in United States history according to the CDC. While some people do experience mild symptoms, these symptoms are indicative that the vaccine is working. For more information on vaccine safety please visit the CDC’s COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Systems page.
All adults (16 and older) are now eligible to receive the vaccine in North Carolina. Here are some opportunities to receive the vaccination in Guilford County:
Guilford County vaccination appointments may be available at the following locations:
Mount Zion Baptist Church, 1301 Alamance Church Road, Greensboro, NC 27406
High Point University Community Center at Oak Hollow Mall, 921 Eastchester Drive (Suite 1230), High Point, NC 27262
Greensboro Coliseum, 1921 W Gate City Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27403
Additional COVID-19 vaccination opportunities include:
Cone Health, www.conehealth.com
FEMA Mass Vaccination Site, www.gsomassvax.org
Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreen’s
TAPM (Triad Adult and Pediatric Medicine) https://tapmedicine.com/covid-19-community-outreach/
Community members may also visit https://myspot.nc.gov/ to find other vaccination opportunities in their area.
COVID-19 Testing
We held a testing clinic this week on April 13. Here are the results::
Total Tests Administered: 317
Total Positive Tests: 1
Total Invalid Tests: 0
Outstanding Tests: 0
Positive Test Percentage Rate: .3%
Upcoming Testing
This week we will have on-campus residents, off-campus students, faculty, staff, and campus contractors who are part of Cohort 3. We will rotate through the cohorts in the following schedule:
Cohort 1 - April 27
Cohort 3 - April 20
Even if you are not a part of Cohort 3 you may also sign up for testing on any other testing day, if you choose.
**NEW TESTING LOCATION** We will now be holding our testing in the Carnegie Room in Hege Library.
For those community members who have been fully vaccinated, you are still required to test on your scheduled testing date.
Important Reminder: Please pre-register before you come to the testing site by texting the word COVID to 704-850-6996 or by going to www.starmed.care and clicking the "Register Now" button. Pre-registration takes about 5 minutes. You will need a photo ID and your medical insurance card to complete the registration. This PCR nasal test is free of charge, covered either by medical insurance or the CARES Act.
We are also excited to announce that we will provide an end of the year exit testing clinic on May 4, 2021. This clinic will be similar to the exit testing we provided at the end of the fall 2020 semester. Participation will be voluntary, and if we have a positive case we will follow our isolation and quarantine protocols that we currently have in place. More information about this clinic will be provided in the coming weeks.
Please remain vigilant this next week and do everything you can protect yourself and others while on campus. We are still in the middle of a Pandemic. The B 1.11 variant is now the most common strain of the coronavirus in the United States. It is a more contagious strain and symptoms are also more prevalent with this strain. Please continue to operate with the mindset that everyone has the virus including you. Practice the 3W’s and follow campus protocols. Please be on the lookout for our next weekly communication on April 23. Please remember that if you have any questions related to COVID-19 and our efforts to mitigate the pandemic on campus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 336.316.2319. We are all in this together.