High-risk students soon eligible for COVID-19 vaccine once CSULB receives more shipments

Long Beach State’s Division of Student Affairs announced in a campus-wide email that high-risk students will be able to make their vaccination appointments when more doses become available.

“When we eventually begin to receive new shipments as permitted by federal, state and local guidance, we will first extend email invitations to make a vaccination appointment to those students who disclosed a high-risk health condition during the pre-registration period this past January,” Vice President for Student Affairs Beth Lesen said in the email.

The university has been vaccinating staff and faculty and will soon be moving onto high-risk students. At this time, the general student population has yet to become eligible for the vaccine under CSULB’s tier system:

1. Staff and faculty with identified in-person responsibilities when the campus vaccination program was planned in early January
2. Staff and faculty over the age of 65 or those with high-risk conditions disclosed during pre-registration
3. All other staff and faculty, prioritized by pre-registration status and age
4. Students with high-risk conditions disclosed during pre-registration
5. On-campus students, including residents, athletes and those with face-to-face courses
6. Students entering clinical rotations
7. All students not already vaccinated

Pre-registration closed on Jan. 31, according to the university’s vaccine website.

Once the general student population becomes eligible, Lesen said, more students will be invited to receive the vaccine from the university.

According to Lesen, all faculty and staff members including teaching assistants, graduate assistants and instructional student assistants, have been offered the vaccine. Of this group, some of those who opted to receive the vaccine have yet to receive their second dose.

“Beyond this, we must wait until our general student body falls into a population approved for vaccines, then we will extend invitations to those who live in student housing, participate in Beach Athletics or serve in allied health settings,” Lesen wrote. “The general student body will follow these groups, prioritized by pre-registration status. As supplies are available, all students will get invited.”

Lesen encourages students seeking a vaccine to consider other options, such as through the state health department, VaxLB if a Long Beach resident or the Orange County Health Care Agency for OC residents, and to get the vaccine when they are eligible to do so.