WCU COVID-19 Clinic continues with vaccinations and if you are in the current vaccine group you can get in line to receive one fast. Call (828) 227-8222 or make an appointment online.
Cortnee Lingerfelt, Director of WCU Regional COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic, said the clinic has only been open since Feb. 24 and has already distributed almost 1000 vaccines.
Lingerfelt provided this update during a Zoom panel on March 3. This event was hosted by WCU with several other experts and WCU administrators on the work of the COVID-19 vaccination clinic on campus. This clinic has collaborated with other regional and local organizations to help answer questions from the public.
This special edition of Western Wednesday was an opportunity to learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations and the vaccine clinic on WCU campus.
When the clinic initially opened, they were expected to only give vaccinations for the patient overflow from the Jackson County Department of Public Health for the first two to three weeks. However, after the first week of being open, they are now allowed to make new appointments.
“As we started calling people, luckily we were able to find a third or up to a half of these people had already found another opportunity in the region to receive a vaccine,” said Lingerfelt while talking about people who were on their list who could be vaccinated.
The clinic anticipates that they will know if there will be another allocation of vaccines for the clinic by Thursday from the North Carolina distribution plan. If they are approved to get another shipment, they will prepare to open more appointment times every Monday. The clinic was “built on a model of sustainability so we are here to stay until the state tells us they don’t need us anymore,” said Lingerfelt and that the clinic could be open for as long as six months from now.
To receive a vaccine at the clinic, you are not required to bring anything with you. However, to receive the second vaccine you will need to bring the CDC card that they give when administering the first vaccine.
Three vaccines are considered safe and effective at helping prevent and reducing COVID-19 symptoms which include Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Tamera Pearson, Family Nurse Practitioner Program Professor said, “if you have the chance to get any of these vaccines, please take it because they will make a huge difference.”
According to Austin Mandeville, assistant professor at WCU, said that since these vaccines were made so quickly and are in the early stages of administering the vaccines, scientists do not know how long the vaccines work in our immune systems or if people will need to get booster shots to help reduce spread every year.
“What we do know is that the vaccines that are out currently, are safe and effective and work well with what we have,” said Mandeville.
One thing many people are concerned about are the side effects of the vaccine. Since there are a lot of unknowns, many people are worried that the vaccine can do more harm than good.
Even though the vaccines are safe according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the CDC, mild side effects are common with any vaccine.
“It’s a lot better to put up with a couple days of feeling bad and having mild side effects then to get seriously ill from COVID,” said Pearson.
After receiving the vaccine, the body will need to develop immunity over time and people must still use precautions against COVID-19 to stop the spread of the virus. To be fully protected from the virus both doses will need to be taken of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine.
WCU Chancellor, Dr. Kelli Brown, in her closing remarks reminded that this clinic “is an amazing feat when you look at everything that had to be done to get this clinic open.”
“I can’t wait till the very last person in the area, or in the region, or North Carolina who wants the shot can get the shot. We are open as long as people need shots and as long as there are vaccines available and we are here to do that for the community, and it is a real pleasure,” said Brown.
“This is truly something that everyone,” said Brown, “can be proud of Western Carolina University.”
To volunteer at the WCU vaccination clinic visit the volunteering page for more information.
The WCU vaccine clinic is located on the ground floor of Health and Human Sciences Building on WCU campus.
