Dean Willie Reed Advises Boilermakers to Raise Their Sleeves to Protect Purdue

March 26, 2021

With Purdue University halfway through its second full semester of abiding by the Protect Purdue Pledge, Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb has declared that all Indiana residents ages 16 and up will be available to schedule a vaccine appointment beginning March 31. Meanwhile, Purdue Veterinary Medicine Dean Willie Reed is urging all Boilermakers to schedule vaccinations for themselves as soon as they are eligible. Additionally, in a video released Monday, March 22, he stated that while Purdue University will do everything in its power to have a vaccination center on campus, Boilermakers should not wait for that to happen and instead make arrangements as soon as they become eligible for a vaccination appointment.

“Based on all of the data that I have analyzed and the reports I have read, individuals should not be concerned about the safety of the vaccines,” Dean Reed said. “The vaccines have high efficacy, and thankfully, safety is excellent.”

But Dean Reed also pointed out that the duty of Boilermakers to abide by the Purdue Pledge does not end when they get the vaccine. Purdue recommends that all who have received a complete COVID-19 vaccination of either the double dosage Moderna / Pfizer or single dosage Johnson & Johnson vaccine should complete a Qualtrics survey to verify that they completed the vaccination and share related details. This will help the Protect Purdue Health Center provide safety guidance to the campus community and also to be ready to activate the Purdue campus in keeping with the CDC’s guidelines for vaccinated individuals.

“We continue to encourage all Boilermakers to get the vaccine as soon as they are eligible, including those who have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past,” said Dr. Estevan Ramirez, chief medical officer of the Protect Purdue Health Center. “And having information from the vaccination verification program on-hand will be extremely helpful to allow the PPHC and other health-care providers on campus to continue their efforts to provide optimal care.”

The Indiana Department of Health reports that as of Thursday, March 25, more than 1,018,500 people in Indiana already have received the vaccine with nearly 26,000 receiving it on a single day.

The Purdue COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Task Force, led by Dean Reed, is monitoring this information closely with the goal of providing valuable information on available vaccines, including safety and efficacy, and serving as a trusted body for the campus community, building confidence in vaccination and helping dispel misinformation. Click here to view Dean Reed’s Protect Purdue video.

Boiler Up, Mask Up, Sleeve Up!

Writer(s): Jonathan Martz, PVM Communications Intern

Source: Purdue Marketing and Communications

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