COVID-19 vaccine update

Members of the campus community:

As a follow-up to my message in Tuesday’s edition of Lafayette Today, I want to repeat and clarify several points related to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines:

• The information was provided to help connect you to the processes outlined by the two state-designated health networks in the area (Lehigh Valley Health Network and St. Luke’s University Health Network). The College is not administering vaccines nor designating what phase of vaccine administration Pennsylvania is in. As you may know, the CDC issued new guidance on the tiering of individuals for vaccines which the Pennsylvania Department of Health is evaluating. While we remain optimistic that the state will soon move to vaccinate phase 1B workers, which includes education workers, that is not the College’s decision nor is it the decision of the health networks. If the state alters the criteria the health networks will need to follow that directive.
• The College has been notified by both health networks that they are not currently vaccinating individuals categorized in phase 1B. We participated in a very limited pilot to test the procedure with a handful of phase 1B employees. That pilot is complete and no additional faculty or staff should expect to receive vaccines until the state moves to administer the entirety of phase 1B. 
• Some have asked what role the College is playing in this process. As I explained in my message earlier this week, the College is assisting the health networks by identifying faculty scheduled to teach in person, other staff or faculty scheduled to be on campus and interacting in a face-to-face capacity with students. Higher education is tiered with elementary and secondary schools so it’s reasonable to expect that larger numbers of the initial doses will be aimed at that segment of the education sector.  

If you would like the College’s assistance in facilitating your connection to the health networks, simply follow the instructions listed in Tuesday’s message. There is nothing else you need to do, and there is no additional information the College can provide at this time. 

Remember, we are all in this together. 

Sincerely,

Annette Diorio
Vice President for Campus Life