COVID-19 Update Issued Dec. 10
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 10, 2021) — University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto issued an update to the campus community about the university's response to COVID-19 on the evening of Friday, Dec. 10. You can read that message below.
Campus Community,
As we prepare for the end of the semester, what I hope is a time of rest and renewal for everyone, the importance of COVID-19 and flu vaccines is increasingly evident.
We have seen a surge in COVID-19 case numbers in Fayette County, the Commonwealth and much of the country. Whether this is a result of cases increasing following the Thanksgiving holiday or the continued persistence of the delta variant, we must continue to be vigilant and do everything possible to ensure the health, safety and well-being of our community.
Vaccines remain, without question, our best defense in that fight. If you haven’t been vaccinated, it is critical that you do so. And, more and more, the science is clear: Booster shots represent an important way to ensure even stronger protection against infection and certainly against serious illness.
We have made booster shots readily available on our campus. I urge you to take advantage of this availability.
Here is more information about booster shots on our campus:
COVID-19 Boosters
- All fully vaccinated adults, 18 and older, living or working in Kentucky who are at least six months past their second dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine or at least two months past their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, are eligible to receive a booster. Learn more here.
- Go to ukvaccine.org to sign up for an appointment. This sign-up process is the same one we used last academic year for our vaccine clinics.
If you received your booster shot from a provider outside of UK, please upload your vaccine documentation.
The numbers
Our community continues to amaze me; we are committed to protecting each other.
As a community, a little more than 90 percent of people who physically come to campus are either partially or fully vaccinated. We demonstrate incremental improvement in those numbers virtually every week. This includes:
- 97 percent of faculty
- 93 percent of staff
- 87 percent of students
- 89 percent of the UK campus
- 93 percent of UK HealthCare
Flu Shots
We also know, from reports in the community and across the country, that flu season this winter may be particularly harsh. You still have time to get your flu shot before the holiday break. We’ve made it as easy as possible to get your flu shot and your COVID-19 vaccine. You can learn more about locations where flu vaccines are available here.
COVID-19 Vaccines for Children Ages 5-17
Earlier this month, we opened the COVID-19 vaccination clinic for children ages 5-17, located at 245 Fountain Court. This clinic offers a child-friendly environment, supported by child life specialists, and operates Monday-Friday, 1-7 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Those interested in vaccinating their children should register at ukvaccine.org and look for the button for ages 5-17.
Thank you for all you do to keep yourself and everyone in our community safe.
Eli Capilouto
President