Student Health Services to have Covid vaccines available starting Friday
Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Student Health Services is prepared for any returning students this week requesting primary or booster shots to guard against the COVID-19 virus.
As the first week is underway, COVID cases at MSU are inevitable as the influx of students return to campus. This year marks the first fall semester post-COVID where students and faculty are not required to wear masks indoors or test weekly. SHS has both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines available.
“It is likely since students are coming from all over the country and the world, I think the rise in cases is expected. However, we know this virus, we know what the mitigation efforts need to be,” Natalie Schuette, COVID Case Manager, at MSU said. “If you are not feeling well we encourage you not to go to class or work.”
If you are positive with COVID, reporting that information to the university is encouraged through the COVID health care hotline.
“The good thing is that we have been seeing a less severe illness in the new variants of COVID. It doesn’t mean it’s less contagious, but the symptoms are not as severe,” said Schuette.
The clinic still requires masks to be worn when going in for an appointment and isolation dorms are available, if needed. The discussion regarding what would happen if Monkeypox were to spread at MSU was a topic Student Health Services has talked about with Reslife and campus security.
“We have that [Monkeypox] on our radar and we are working with our state department and our Blue Earth County Public Health Department in case that were to come about,” Jodi Egeland, Medical Director at MSU said. “COVID gave us a lot of good education on preparing for an outbreak.”
Other services SHS can provide besides vaccinations include their pharmacy and their mental health care specialists. This past year, MSU has increased services to treat and diagnose various mental health disorders.
“We have seen increased numbers in mental health disorders since COVID started, so we have services available. We are the only four-year university in the MinnState system that has on-site psychiatric care in the medical clinic, so we are very lucky to have that here,” Egeland said.
Located in Carkoski Commons, students and faculty who wish to receive their first dose or boosters are able to do so with no appointment necessary. Flu shots are expected to be available in mid to late September.
Write to Julia Barton at julia.barton@mnsu.edu