Jacksonville State University is not requiring students, faculty or staff to become vaccinated against COVID-19. The decision to receive a vaccination is deeply personal and should be made in consultation with your physician. However, as an institution of higher learning, we respect the scientific process and have faith in the expertise of the research and medical communities.
All available data indicates that the COVID-19 vaccine is the most effective way to protect against this deadly virus and bring the pandemic to an end. We encourage all students, faculty and staff who are eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccines to do so.
Please check with your doctor if you have concerns.
Get Vaxxed!
The Covid-19 Vaccine is now widely available, and you can find availability near you by visiting vaccines.gov and searching your zip code.
The following list of frequently asked questions addresses the myths and falsehoods circulating nationally about the COVID-19 vaccine.
No. The federal government is providing the vaccine free of charge to all people living in the United States.
Yes - Pfizer and Moderna (manufacturers of the two vaccines authorized for emergency use as of January 1, 2021) published a list of all ingredients, which are currently posted on the FDA website. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines utilize a technology called messenger RNA (mRNA) which teaches your body how to respond to COVID-19, as well as lipids (fats) that help transport the vaccine into your body.
No, none of the authorized COVID-19 vaccines in the US contain the live virus that causes C-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with Covid-19. The COVID-19 vaccines teach our immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19. This can sometimes cause symptoms, such as fever, but that is a sign that our body is building up protection against the virus. (Source: CDC)
The technology used to develop the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines isn’t new. It’s been studied and used for cancer research and is decades old. Clinical trials for the COVID-19 vaccines were done with the same rigor applied to all vaccine trials, and the results were reviewed and approved by multiple independent advisory panels. Increased collaboration, use of new technology and more funding meant that vaccine developers could work more quickly during the pandemic. (Source: American Academy of Family Physicians)
Yes, it is safe for you to get a COVID-19 vaccine when it is available to you. There is currently no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the US cause any problems with pregnancy, including the development of the placenta. In addition, there is no evidence that female or male fertility problems are a side effect of any vaccine, including COVID-19 vaccines. (Source: CDC)
No vaccine is 100% effective; however, research has shown that vaccines available in the US remain highly effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19.
As a result of the Delta variant, which spreads more quickly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone, including persons fully-vaccinated, wear a mask in all indoor settings to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in areas with low vaccination rates and high transmission rates.
The COVID-19 vaccine protects you from getting serious illness and hospitalization. Getting vaccinated may also protect people around you, particularly people who are immune compromised and those too young to receive the vaccine. In areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases, consider wearing a mask in indoor, crowded outdoor and activity settings with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated, until more is known about your ability to transmit the virus even though you may not be sick and until more people have been vaccinated. (CDC)
People who have a medical condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may NOT develop a good enough immune response or be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated. (CDC)
More than 342 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines were administered in the United States from December 14, 2020, through July 26, 2021. During this time, VAERS received 6,340 reports of death (0.0019%) among people who received a COVID-19 vaccine. FDA requires healthcare providers to report any death after COVID-19 vaccination to VAERS, even if it’s unclear whether the vaccine was the cause. A review of available clinical information, including death certificates, autopsy, and medical records, has not established a causal link to COVID-19 vaccines. However, recent reports indicate a plausible causal relationship between the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine and TTS, a rare and serious adverse event—blood clots with low platelets—which has caused deaths. (CDC)
Viruses constantly change through mutation, and new variants of a virus are expected to occur. Sometimes new variants emerge and disappear. Other times, new variants persist. If you think about a virus like a tree growing and branching out, each branch on the tree is slightly different than the others. By comparing the branches, scientists can label them according to the differences. These small differences are variants. Some variations allow the virus to spread more easily or make it resistant to treatments or vaccines. New variants of the virus that causes COVID-19 are spreading in the United States. Current information suggests that COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the United States offer protection against most variants. However, some variants might cause illness in some people after they are fully vaccinated if the variants are circulating in the community. There are still ongoing studies researching how effective the vaccines are against these new variants. (CDC) We can prevent the COVID-19 virus from changing and causing new variants if vaccination numbers rise in our community.
There is no vaccine microchip, and the vaccine will not track people or gather their personal information into a database. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine will NOT make you magnetic, including at the site of vaccination which is usually your arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain ingredients that can produce an electromagnetic field at the site of your injection. All COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals. (CDC)
You should get a COVID-19 vaccine regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 because experts do not yet know how long you are protected after recovering from COVID-19, and you can become infected more than once. Studies have shown that vaccination provides a strong boost in protection in people who have recovered from COVID-19. Vaccination is the best protection, and it is safe.The COVID-19 vaccination also helps protect you from serious illness if you get sick again. If you have had COVID-19, ask your doctor, nurse, or clinic when you should be vaccinated.
If you have additional questions about vaccines, please email covidquestions@jsu.edu for assistance.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are eligible for a booster shot at six months or more after their initial series. The updated guidance also now qualifies individuals who were recipients of Moderna for a third dose that are:
65 years and older
Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
For people who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago. The CDC’s approval also allows those who qualify for a booster to receive a booster from a different manufacturer other than their initial vaccine dosage cycle if they choose.
Boosters may be scheduled in conjunction with any campus COVID-19 vaccine clinic. They are also offered by appointment at the RMC/JSU Health Center on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons by calling 256-782-5310.
