What to know about South Campus vaccination site

There’s a lot of buzz about Harriman Hall on the South Campus serving as a New York State-run COVID-19 vaccination site. But don’t get too excited just yet. There are a few key things to know.

First, the site, which opens on Tuesday, is being run and operated entirely by New York State, not UB. Second, the vaccines distributed on the South Campus will be provided to Western New York community members by appointment only and in accordance with guidelines developed by the New York State Department of Health.

Vaccines are being administered at Harriman for people who meet the current criteria and have scheduled an appointment through the state’s eligibility website.

The state is currently vaccinating people in the 1a and 1b eligibility groups, which include frontline physicians, first responders, individuals age 65 and older, grocery store workers, in-person college instructors and public transit workers, among others. The full list is available on the state’s vaccine site.

As previously reported in UBNow, UB faculty, medical residents and students with frontline patient care responsibilities began receiving their shots last month.

For members of the UB community, it’s important to note that it is unlikely that UB will be provided a supply of vaccine to vaccinate UB students, faculty and staff. UB’s COVID-19 information website now has a page with vaccination FAQs for UB students and employees.

Harriman Hall was being used as UB’s pooled surveillance testing site on the South Campus. Instead, surveillance testing will be conducted in Allen Hall on the South Campus, in addition to locations on the North and Downtown campuses.

All members of the UB community who plan to have some presence on campus for the spring semester are required to present evidence of a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days prior to return or participate in on-campus COVID-19 testing as soon as possible but no later than five days of returning to campus.

Additional information on mandatory return-to-campus testing is also available on the UB COVID-19 website.