Wildcats swarm booster clinic before deadline
Students crowd the final on-campus COVID booster clinic before CSU deadline. Photo taken Feb. 25 by Ava Norgrove
Students filled Bell Memorial Union on Friday to receive their booster shot just in time to meet California State University requirements.
Mary Wallmark, director of Student Life and Leadership and the organizer of the event, said the crowd broke records.
“We have yet to reach 1,000 people a day,” Wallmark said. “Today could be that day.”
Rite Aid partnered with Chico State to create a pop-up clinic. Four immunizers worked to vaccinate people while Wildcat volunteers managed the crowd. Attendees were only required to show their vaccination card.
Chico State requires students to self-certify by Feb. 28 at 11:59 p.m.
To incentivize booster vaccines the university will give $500 prizes to 20 randomly drawn students who follow campus rules.
If students fail to certify, Chico State Pandemic Management Team director Mike Guzzi, said students will be withdrawn from in-person classes, forbidden to register for in-person Fall 2022 classes, barred from campus wireless internet and blocked from accessing Blackboard. Unboosted students will also lose access to campus facilities.
Students not eligible to receive their booster by Feb. 28 are required to self-certify within 30 days of becoming eligible, according to Chico State’s vaccination website.
Chico State will host another booster clinic in March.
Ava Norgrove can be reached at [email protected]
