Wyoming’s first COVID vaccines were administrated Tuesday of this week, after the Pfizer vaccine was approved for emergency use; University of Wyoming students and facility members are eager to get the vaccine.
“I would be willing to take the vaccine,” said Luke Taulbee, an Economics Student.
“With the little bit of research I did, it looks like people are blowing the side effects out of proportion—you get a headache, muscle aches, and maybe swollen around the injection site. Well yeah you’re swollen because someone just stuck you with a needle,” said Taulbee.
“I would take it,” said Gilbert Hart, an Electrical Engineering Student.
“I don’t get why it is so controversial—it seems like a lot of people are conspiracy theorists,” said Hart.
Shipments of the COVID vaccine are expected weekly for the remainder of the month. The Wyoming Department of Health expects to receive 1400 vaccines in Albany county, and 27,075 vaccines state-wide by the end of the year.
Approximately 75% of Wyoming COVID vaccines are expected to be distributed to hospitals, and 25% to county public health at this time. It is unclear when the vaccine will be available to University of Wyoming faculty, staff and students.
Taulbee said, “I would hope the University mandates that students get the vaccine by Fall. By that point, I hope it’ll be studied enough to be safe for everybody, and that people are reassured that it is safe.”
Hart said, “I feel like the University probably will mandate the vaccine at some point—going into next fall semester would be my guess. It is supposed to be widely available by then.”
Dr. Timothy Considine, an Economics Professor said, “I’m not sure on what the University plans on doing,”
“I think there would be compliance issues, as there was with testing. But if the university states that is a requirement for attending class, I’m sure facility and staff would comply. Students for the most part would comply, with a few exceptions like with testing,” said Considine.
A University of Wyoming survey found only 62 percent of Wyomingites were likely or very likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine; Though, University faculty and students may be more acceptant.
