UTSA to provide 400 COVID-19 vaccine doses to eligible faculty and staff

FEBRUARY 1, 2021 — UTSA is set to receive 400 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses this week. On-campus vaccination clinics for eligible faculty and staff will begin on Thursday, February 4. These vaccinations bring us one step closer to welcoming more of the Roadrunner community back to campus.

Individuals who are identified as eligible to receive the vaccine will be contacted directly with notification of eligibility and further instructions. Vaccines are available to priority UTSA faculty and staff as determined by guidelines from the Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC. This includes critical frontline responders and faculty or staff working on campus who meet Phase 1B eligibility criteria.

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“We understand the importance of this vaccine, and we are working closely with the state to request additional allocations.”

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“We are extremely grateful to receive these vaccines and for the opportunity to offer vaccinations to our faculty and staff,” said Veronica Salazar Mendez, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice President for Business Affairs. “These vaccines offer us something we didn’t have six months ago: a tangible sense of hope that we may be able to bring back a sense of normalcy to our Roadrunners in the coming months.”

Currently, UTSA is designated as a closed vaccination site and not a state vaccine hub. Vaccines allocated to UTSA are limited in quantity and are intended for distribution to eligible members of the university workforce via UTSA as an employer.

“We understand the importance of this vaccine, and we are working closely with the state to request additional allocations,” Salazar Mendez said. “Rest assured that we will continue to pursue opportunities to serve as a vaccine provider for more members of our campus community.”

In the meantime, Roadrunners are encouraged to continually explore opportunities to receive a vaccine from community sources, such as the City of San Antonio, local health departments, private healthcare providers and pharmacies.

“Getting vaccinated not only protects your health, it helps protect the most vulnerable individuals in our community,” said Beth Wichman, the university’s chief medical officer. “These vaccines have been rigorously tested to ensure safety, and they are a critical tool in our fight against COVID-19. The more people we vaccinate, the closer we get to life looking normal again.” 

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The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines have proven to be approximately 95% effective. Both vaccines significantly reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and complications. Side effects are typically mild to moderate and alleviate within a few days. Visit the CDC’s website for more information about COVID-19 vaccine safety, benefits of vaccination, and how the vaccines work.

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