March 30: Screen, Test & Protect

Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc Director, UF Health Screen, Test & Protect Deputy Director, Emerging Pathogens Institute Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine UF College of Medicine Dr. D’Andra Mull, PhD Vice President for Student Affairs University of Florida

From the director of Screen, Test & Protect:

Hello Gator Community,

As you no doubt have heard, last week Governor DeSantis expanded eligibility for vaccination — so now anyone 16 years and older in Florida can register to receive a COVID-19 vaccine

Through UF Health’s collaboration with the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County, we are excited to be scaling up our vaccination efforts, increasing available slots to the community, including UF students, faculty and staff. To accommodate the expected large demand, we will be offering an unprecedented number of vaccine appointments. 

We’ll kick things off beginning Monday, April 5, 2021 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Champion’s Club, across the street from the O’Connell Center’s Gate 1 off Gale Lemerand Drive.  

Go to ONE.UF to register, just as you currently do to schedule COVID-19 testing or follow this link to sign up. Once your appointment is confirmed, show up at your appointment day and time, bring a photo ID and a mask, and remember to wear something that allows easy access to your upper arm. It’s as simple as that.

A few important things to remember:

  • The sooner everyone gets vaccinated the sooner we can end the pandemic.
  • Getting vaccinated as soon as possible is the critical step in returning to a normal college experience and to our normal activities with family and friends.
  • Moving forward, if you are vaccinated you will NOT NEED TO BE ROUTINELY TESTED to be cleared for campus and will NOT BE QUARANTINED if you are in contact with a person with COVID-19. More details to follow.
  • Getting vaccinated next week allows you enough time to complete the two-shot series before the end of the semester.
  • The COVID-19 vaccines have been carefully evaluated in clinical trials and shown to be highly effective in preventing illness.
  • Even if you have previously had COVID-19, vaccination is still important, as it provides longer-lasting immunity than natural infection. 
  • Getting the vaccine can help protect the people around you and prevent illness.
  • If you can’t complete the series before you leave town, there is no problem completing the series in your hometown or wherever you will be three or four weeks after your first dose. 

If you register but do not hear back soon, and have another opportunity to be vaccinated, by all means take the first available opportunity to do so. 

As always, please visit the Screen, Test & Protect website for more information and don’t hesitate to reach out to us if we can be of any help at all.

Thanks again for all you do and for your patience in waiting for this opportunity. Getting back to normal is within our grasp, and we look forward to getting us all there as safely and quickly as possible. 

Michael Lauzardo, MD, MSc
Director, UF Health Screen, Test & Protect
Deputy Director, Emerging Pathogens Institute
Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine
UF College of Medicine 

Dr. D’Andra Mull, PhD
Vice President for Student Affairs
University of Florida