COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments Available, and You May Be Eligible!

Dear Students:

Onondaga County has informed us that they expect to make a significant number of COVID-19 vaccine appointments available for eligible Syracuse University students on Thursday, March 25; Friday, March 26; Monday, March 29; and Tuesday, March 30, at the OnCenter vaccination site.

We strongly encourage you to closely review all current eligibility categories given that some of those categories are less known and understood. You may be surprised to learn that you are in fact eligible to receive the vaccine right now. For example, a few of the lesser-known eligibility categories include:

• Any student with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher is vaccine eligible now. Use this tool to calculate your BMI.
• Any student working on campus, whether paid or receiving course credit, is vaccine eligible now.
• Any student working part time as a for-hire vehicle driver (Uber or Lyft) or in food delivery is vaccine eligible now.
• Any student working in a childcare setting is vaccine eligible now.
• Any student volunteering to serve in a public-facing role for a community organization is vaccine eligible now.
• Any student working in an in-person role (as an intern, paid or unpaid employee) at a P-12 school or school district is vaccine eligible.
• Any student working in a paid or unpaid role in a healthcare setting is vaccine eligible.
• Any student working in support of the University’s testing, contact tracing or other COVID-19 response is vaccine eligible.

Qualifying Comorbidities and Underlying Conditions:

In addition to the above criteria, you are also eligible if you have any of the following comorbidities and underlying conditions:

• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
• Cancer (current or in remission)
• Chronic kidney disease
• Pulmonary disease, including asthma
• Heart conditions, including but not limited to heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease or Thalassemia
• Type 1 or 2 diabetes
• Cerebrovascular disease (affects blood vessels and blood supply to the brain)
• Liver disease

Vaccination Instructions and Next Steps:

If you believe you are eligible, please take advantage of this opportunity made available by Onondaga County to immediately receive the COVID vaccine by taking these easy steps:

• Make an appointment: Visit the Onondaga County COVID-19 Vaccine website to identify an available time that works for you.
• Complete the two forms provided in your confirmation email: After you schedule your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email. This email will contain links to two forms: 1) a screening and consent form that will need to be printed and completed and 2) a form attesting to your eligibility status. The attestation form will provide a “Submission ID,” which you can show on your phone when you arrive at the OnCenter.
• Provide proof of eligibility upon arrival: Please bring with you proof of identification such as your driver’s license, government-issued identification card or your SU I.D.
  • Those eligible due to student employment should bring a recent paystub (printed or displayed on mobile device). For unpaid student employment (i.e. course credit or other unpaid campus internship), bring a letter from your supervisor verifying your on-campus employment.
  • Those eligible due to comorbidity or an underlying health condition are not required to bring a doctor’s letter or other medical documentation. However, you will be required to sign the screening and consent form where you will personally attest to your medical eligibility.
• Bring your insurance card: You will be asked for insurance information, but the vaccine is free and there will never be a charge to you. This information is for administrative use only. You do not need to have insurance to get the vaccine.

Please note: the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines both require a second dose, which will be scheduled during your appointment for the first dose. The Janssen/Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose.

Free Transportation Available:

To support those of you who book appointments during this four-day window, we will run a free a shuttle from the College Place bus stop to the Onondaga County’s OnCenter Vaccination Clinic.  Shuttles will operate from 8:45 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., running on a continuous loop.

If you are eligible, we strongly urge you to schedule an appointment now. Like the flu and other communicable diseases, vaccination is the best protection against the spread of COVID-19.

Sincerely,

Syracuse University Public Health Team