HAMPTON, Va. - Hampton University is now requiring all faculty and staff to be vaccinated by May 31. The Vice President of Research and event coordinator, Dr. Michelle Penn-Marshall says the COVID-19 vaccine requirement is needed in order to save lives.
“It’s just as important for our colleagues who are on our campus and serving our students and working with each other that the faculty and staff are vaccinated against this deadly coronavirus,” Dr. Penn-Marshall said.
The Hampton University Mobile Testing and Vaccination Unit is administering the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to faculty and staff this week for university employees.
Hampton University is the first college in Virginia to require students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine. A football coach at Hampton says he chose to get the vaccine to protect him and his family.
“I thank President Harvey for the opportunity to take this vaccine here on campus. It’s very convenient for everyone’s who is working here,“ Todd McComb said, a Hampton University assistant football coach, said.
McComb says he chose to get the vaccine to protect him and his family and agrees with the university’s decision to require vaccinations.
“I think with us opening back up campus to our students in the fall that everyone needs to be protected.”
He says he’ll be returning in three weeks to get his second Pfizer vaccine shot. Hampton University will also require students to be fully vaccinated before returning to campus for the fall semester with exemptions for documented medical or religious reasons. Students would have to show a letter from their religious leader or a letter from their doctor.
“Students have been given notification by Dr. Barbara Inman, the Vice President of Student Affairs, that they will be required to be vaccinated before returning to campus,” Dr. Penn-Marshall said.
The vaccine clinic will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 22.
The Mobile Health Unit will be parked in Lot 21, the parking lot across from the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications, for each clinic session.
On March 1, the university unveiled its new mobile testing and vaccination unit that provides COVID-19 screenings and vaccinations to people in underserved areas of Hampton Roads.
On April 24, the HU Mobile Testing and Vaccination Unit will be in Norfolk in partnership with the Hispanic Resource Center of Coastal Virginia, directed by Dr. Elizabeth Torres.
In December of 2020, Dr. Harvey and other local leaders received the COVID-19 vaccine to publicly support taking the vaccine and encourage the African American community to take it as well.
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