The Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has come to campus, making it the third possible vaccine option for students who wish to be vaccinated.

While originally the campus’s vaccine efforts have offered the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the school is extending its supply to include Moderna, with booster shots.

The National Guard has had a steady pace of vaccine patients on campus ever since they began administering the shots to students. Operating outside of the Office of Career Services, students have had a single location on campus to receive their vaccinations.

“We estimate there’s around 40 to 60 people who get vaccinated every day here on campus, that includes students and people who come just to get a vaccine,” said John Rayburn, a Staff Sergeant in the Louisiana National Guard.

Both the National Guard and the University Health Center say that vaccination rates have stayed relatively the same even with the removal of the mask mandate by Governor John Bel Edwards.

The University Health Center said that they are opening up Moderna to the campus now that booster shots are becoming more common. Just about anybody can receive the Moderna vaccine, unless they have a personal medical issue that prevents them from taking it.

“We began with Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson, and to avoid confusion we stuck with those two. Then, as we started adapting to booster shots, Moderna seemed like the better option to have on campus,” said Andrea Peevy, Director and Nurse Practitioner at the University Health Center.

The vaccine you can receive is up to the patient, but the University Health Center and the National Guard say that not all three will be available at all times.

“While we almost always have Pfizer ready and available. Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are given to us in lower quantities,” said Peevy. 

SLU is still offering incentives for students who choose to get vaccinated on campus. Getting any shot, whether it is your first, second, or a booster, will get you $100 just for taking the shot. However, civilians can only receive the money for the first shot. 

Students cannot repeat the process for more money, as the reward only applies once.

If you would like to learn more about how you can receive your own vaccine or get COVID-19 tested, visit the University Health Center’s website.