COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) - Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expanded COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to all adults over the age of 16, which means college students are now able to receive their shots.
Kemp made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, and News 3 spoke to students at Columbus State University about their reactions to the news.
Students say they have had to miss out on key parts of the college experience as well as adapt to hybrid learning. Many are ready for this first step of getting back to normal and are eager to get their shot.
“I have to say, with COVID, I kind of learned a little bit better because there’s not a lot of people, but, however, the experience of hearing other people’s opinions and decisions and other stuff because you have to interact with these people and that’s what college is about… is hearing people’s story and experiences,” Senior CSU student Arlington J. Neely said.
“It’s hard to do that when you’ve only got 3 people in the room… I feel like once everything is back to normal, I think it will be for the better.”
Neely’s girlfriend, Tiffany West, added that getting the vaccine is important to her because she has family members’ health to think about. West graduated from Columbus State University during the pandemic, and says she missed out on the “normal” ending to college.
“A person like myself would love to get [the vaccine] because I would love to be able to travel, I would love to be able to do the things I wasn’t able to do when this happened last year.”
So far, more than one million Georgians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. More than two million have received a first dose of the vaccine.
“I’m tired of wearing this mask,” Neely said. “I want to be able to hug and kiss my girlfriend and I want to be able to hug my grandparents, travel and do all that stuff and get back to normal. With the COVID, we were so used to being quarantined that I’m scared that we’re going to get used to that and we’re not going to be connected.”
The Columbus Civic Center mass vaccination site will be open Monday through Friday by appointment only. Anyone eligible for the vaccine can make an appointment at myvaccinegeorgia.com.
0 Comments