Thousands of Virginia Tech Hokies are now one step closer to being fully vaccinated.
On Thursday, the New River Health District teamed up with the university to host a mass vaccinate site at Lane Stadium, vaccinating an estimated 4,000 Virginia Tech students.
New River Health Director Dr. Noelle Bissell says the clinic is happening at an important time.
“They are going back home to friends and relatives who might be higher risk not just their low-risk social circle, and they might not be vaccinated yet so we thought that we really do need to get it out,” said Bissell.
Bissell says most of the spread in the district is still among the student population.
“When we look at the spread, our students tend to be the ones that are a little bit more responsible for spread right now because of their social behaviors,” Bissell said.
Students say the process was efficient and painless.
“It’s really quick and I think they did a great job as well and the volunteers were super nice. I just think that the school should get some praise for how well they did this, I think they did a really good job,” Virginia Tech student James Hardy said.
Others are happy they will be fully vaccinated before the semester ends.
“I want life to get back to normal hopefully also I just worry about my family. A lot of them are luckily getting vaccinated, but by the time I get home I want to be vaccinated and safe for them.,” Virginia Tech student Clare Hines said.
Bissell says the students are a big part of the general population in the health district, and it was a collaborative effort to make sure the event went smoothly.
“If there’s less disease, less virus circulating. It’s better for everybody,” Bissell said.
The health district is planning on hosting another vaccination clinic at lane stadium in a few weeks, so students who got vaccinated today can get their second dose.