FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas employees with essential job responsibilities, many who have been on campus consistently since March 2020, are next in line to be offered appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations through the university. Eligible employees (of all ages) with essential job responsibilities, especially face-to-face interaction with students, including teaching, housing, cleaning and food preparation are now being provided access to appointment scheduling information in the second stage of vaccination prioritization.

“After providing at least one vaccination opportunity to all employees age 50 and over, we’ll now begin to reach out this new group of employees as well this week,” said Matt Mills, who is managing notifications to eligible employees as manager of U of A Emergency Management. “But please remain patient, as it will take some time to work our way through this group as we continue to seek opportunities to vaccinate as many of our eligible employees as quickly as possible.”

Faculty members and employees of university housing, and facilities management will make up the majority of this group.

While no mass clinics are scheduled on campus at this time, other vaccination opportunities are available and will be shared with eligible employees this week.

1,000 EMPLOYEES VACCINATED IN ONE WEEK

Approximately 1,000 faculty, staff and graduate assistants at the University of Arkansas received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine last week in opportunities provided through the university.

For the initial mass vaccinations clinics on campus and other opportunities made available through the university, access to appointment scheduling information was provided in a tiered manner, starting with those in the age 70-plus population and working down to those age 50-plus.

By Jan. 23, all employees over the age of 50 (nearly 2,000 employees) had been contacted at least once about their interest in being vaccinated as well as being offered an opportunity to be vaccinated.

As the university transitions to the second stage of vaccine prioritization, all employees (more than 8,500), including graduate and research assistants, are being asked to complete a brief survey to gauge each individual’s interest in receiving the vaccine, determine who may already be vaccinated and identify those who prefer that initial vaccines go to other employees in higher-need groups (but who will be interested in vaccination at a later date).

After eligible employees in this stage of vaccination prioritization have been given an opportunity to schedule a vaccination, the university tentatively plans to return to a tiered manner of outreach, starting with employees age 40 and over and continuing to work down until all eligible employees wishing to receive a vaccination have been given that opportunity.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT NEXT?

• Please continue to exercise patience while the university methodically works through the various groups of eligible employees.
• When you are contacted about your interest in receiving a vaccine, please respond to the survey as quickly as possible. A deadline will be provided.
• Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate changes to appointment assignments.

WHO WILL CONTACT ME REGARDING APPOINTMENTS?

U of A Emergency Manager Matt Mills is currently reaching out to eligible employees via email.  

For future vaccination opportunities on campus, eligible employees can expect to hear from either Human Resources or U of A Emergency Management.

Employees will be given a deadline to respond so that for expediency, we can move onto the next eligible group and ensure we fill all available appointments. Those who do not repond may be contacted again for future clinics, or removed from consideration if requested.   

Please do not forward your invitation to others.

WHEN WILL I BE OFFERED AN APPOINTMENT?

U of A Emergency Management continues to reach out via email to eligible employees to see if they would like to be vaccinated when appointments become available. Once the deadline has passed for those individuals to respond, Emergency Management is moving on to reach out to other eligible employees until all available appointments are filled.

Please respond by the deadline so that we may move on to other groups as quickly as possible.

IF I HAVEN’T BEEN OFFERED AN APPOINTMENT YET, WILL THERE BE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES?

Yes. The university is working to schedule additional mass vaccination opportunities on campus and looking for other opportunities for employees to be vaccinated. Scheduling clinics is contingent on vaccine supply. Additional mass clinics are not yet scheduled.

Please remain patient as it will likely take several weeks to vaccinate all those who are eligible and wish to receive a COVID-19 vaccination as a part of Phase 1-B of the state's vaccination plan. There isn't currently enough vaccine available for all who want to receive it.

HOW DO I GET MY SECOND DOSE OF THE VACCINE?

When you receive your first dose, information about when you will receive your second vaccine dose will be provided to you at that time.

Additional details will be communicated directly to you closer to the actual date of additional vaccination opportunities as those dates, times and specific appointments have not been set at this time.

CAN I SEEK COVID-19 VACCINATION OFF CAMPUS?

Yes. Eligible higher education employees are included as a part of Phase 1-B of the state's vaccination plan, so eligible U of A employees can seek to be vaccinated at any participating pharmacy or provider.

The ADH provides a map and searchable list of pharmacies providing vaccinations across the state.

In addition, the university is working to help vaccinate as many eligible employees as quickly as possible by hosting mass vaccination clinics on campus and seeking other vaccination opportunities for employees.

WHAT DO I NEED TO TAKE TO A VACCINATION APPOINTMENT?

Those with appointments to receive the vaccine from eligible providers, including mass vaccination clinics, must bring the following for verification (those without an appointment will be turned away):

• University photo identification
• Insurance card
• Driver's license or other form of photo identification 
• The individualized letter from the university recently emailed to employees

IF I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT, CAN I ALSO BRING FAMILY MEMBERS?

No. Only eligible, active employees with appointments may receive the vaccine on campus at this time. Retirees and family members of employees are not eligible for vaccination through the university. 

WILL PAT WALKER HEALTH CENTER PROVIDE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS AT SOME POINT?

Pat Walker Health Center has applied for approval to be a COVID-19 vaccination provider. Until that approval has been received from the Arkansas Department of Health, eligible employees can check with area pharmacies to see if they are accepting vaccination reservations or take advantage of vaccination opportunities provided by the university by appointment only.

WHOM DO I ASK IF I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS PROCESS?

If you have questions or need further information regarding the vaccination process or anything pertaining to COVID response, please contact hrassist@uark.edu.