Shenandoah University winding down COVID-19 mass vaccination effort

After administering more than 65,000 COVID-19 shots in arms, the vaccination center at Shenandoah University will hold its last clinic on May 6.

The clinic opened in mid-January through the partnership of Shenandoah, Valley Health and the Lord Fairfax Health District. Hundreds of employees from the partner organizations, along with members of the community, volunteered to provide a patient experience that was seamless, efficient and caring. Thousands of individuals across the commonwealth received their shots at the clinic.

With the university’s academic semester nearing an end and many in the region vaccinated, Shenandoah is returning its James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics & Events Center back into a full-time events and athletics venue.

The last first-dose clinic at the center will be held Thursday, April 29, with a second-dose location for these individuals to be determined by Valley Health. Second-dose clinics at Shenandoah will be held until May 6.

“We couldn’t be more proud to be a member of this amazing partnership with Valley Health and the Lord Fairfax Health District and to be an integral part in providing a place where people could be treated quickly, efficiently and with respect,” Shenandoah University President Tracy Fitzsimmons said. “Our clinic was a fully inclusive one. We ensured that vaccine appointments were available to everyone no matter their income, race, religion, housing status or gender, whether they had access to technology or not, or whether they lived in cities or very rural areas. The clinic at Shenandoah aimed to help everyone. We are so happy that we could help fight this public health crisis and do our part to make our community and state safer.”

“As the vaccines progressed through the approval process six months ago, we could not have imagined a more accommodating community site or a more generous and engaged partner than Shenandoah University,” Valley Health Population and Community Health Officer Jeffrey Feit said. “From planning through execution, the SU team stepped up in important ways to make the experience positive for thousands of area residents who were eager to protect themselves, their families, co-workers and customers from COVID. We are proud of what we’ve accomplished together and are eager to look to other opportunities to serve the community by improving health.”

“SU’s eager participation in the fight against COVID-19 goes back to the summer of 2019, where they set the standard for colleges with collaborative preparation that successfully allowed in-person learning and on-campus living,” said Dr. Colin Greene, director of the Lord Fairfax Health District. “That dedication manifested itself in SU volunteering its spacious athletic facility for the rapid vaccination of the people of the Northern Shenandoah Valley. SU’s collaboration quite frankly made much of our vaccine campaign success possible. Their volunteerism, dedication, selfless service and community spirit reflect enormous merit on the university, and the community it supports.”

Future Frederick County vaccination site

Valley Health, the Virginia Department of Health, and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management are finalizing plans for a new vaccination site in the Frederick County area. The health system, with agency partners and volunteers, has also managed community vaccination sites in Warren, Shenandoah and Page counties.

Community members age 16 and up are now eligible in Virginia. Visit www.valleyhealthlink.com/vaccine for more information and appointments.

The Virginia Department of Health is encouraging people to use vaccinefinder.org to find pharmacies, clinics and other sites dispensing COVID-19 vaccines by ZIP code and radius.

For additional information, call (877) VAX-IN-VA or (877) 829-4682.