COVID-19 Update: Initial Vaccine Information

Dec. 10, 2020

Dear SLU community members,

With several highly-anticipated COVID-19 vaccines nearing availability, we wanted to share information about what we know, what we are working to learn and what you can expect in the coming weeks and months.

We know that residents of long-term care facilities and health care workers have been identified as the first recipients of the vaccines due to arrive later this month. The debt we owe the dedicated individuals working in acute care facilities is tremendous, especially as we witness a wave of COVID-19 cases sweep through our community hospitals.

More information about the prioritization of our SLUCare colleagues will be provided by SSM as it is available.

We have already received questions about vaccine availability for students, staff and faculty. We share your questions, but please know that we are likely months away from scheduling these inoculations.

We do not yet know a timeline for more general vaccine availability. We do not yet know whether distribution will happen at the University, or through a community provider. We do not yet know which vaccine formulation will be available to our campus community, whenever the time comes.

These are a few of the many unknowns, but we have a dedicated team preparing for whatever may come. As we have exhibited throughout this pandemic, we are committed to transparency about vaccine availability and will tell you when there is more to share.

In the meantime, we remind you that this is not currently the time to make a case for your personal need to be an exception and get the vaccine earlier. We made it through our fall semester as OneSLU. And that mindset will ensure a successful spring semester.

Know that our goal is to ensure opportunities for our campus community to have access to the vaccine based on tiers identified by state and local public health authorities. While such tiering systems help define the queue of vaccine recipients, they are imperfect. Your patience and understanding are appreciated.

Please emailpandemic@slu.eduif you have any questions.

In the meantime, please keep wearing your mask. Keep maintaining a safe, social distance from others. And keep praying for our frontline workers.

Stay safe, and God bless.

SLU’s COVID-19 Vaccination Team