Covid vaccine now available on WKU campus

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- “Like I’d like to spend more time with her now that I have the shot and she has the shot, it feels more safe,” said Western Kentucky University student Josh Visingardi about getting a COVID-19 vaccine. 

Being able to see his grandmother was the first thing Visingardi thought of when he got his vaccine. He was one of the first students to receive it at the WKU vaccine clinic at E.A. Diddle Arena on Wednesday. 

The campus’ partner, Graves Gilbert Clinic collaborated with Wildhealth out of Lexington to give out the vaccine. 

“This gives us an opportunity to help the students and the faculty at Western get their vaccination. So they can go home when school’s over and they can be safe and hug their family and things like that. It’s very rewarding,” said Graves Gilbert CEO Chris Thorn. 

For now, they have around 1,000 doses, and are giving them out until the end of this week. Appointments are required. 

Bob Skipper, media relations director for the university says they wanted the vaccine to be accessible on campus. 

“Many of our family have a hard time getting out to the vaccine sites. Some of our students don’t have cars, some of our staff work more than one job or just don’t have the time to get out. Now they can just walk across campus and get their vaccine, it won’t take too much time out of their day,” said Skipper. 

Accessibility played a huge part in student Sophie Bitner getting the vaccine at the on campus clinic. 

“I probably would’ve waited to get home to St. Louis to get the vaccine, I probably wouldn’t have gone off campus somewhere but it was so easy, and there’s a bunch of my sorority sisters and people I know here so clearly people are taking advantage of the opportunity to do it,” said Bitner. 

Skipper says he doesn’t foresee WKU requiring the vaccine, but they do strongly encourage it. 

The vaccine they are giving out is Pfizer. The university timed it so students will still be in school to come back and get their second dose. 

There are appointments still available on Thursday and Friday. To sign up, you can click here.