Education

College students hope vaccinations mean a return to regular campus life

Most college students across North Carolina become eligible for coronavirus vaccinations Wednesday, giving students hope for a return to a more normal campus experience.

Posted Updated

By
Sarah Krueger
, WRAL Durham reporter
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Most college students across North Carolina become eligible for coronavirus vaccinations Wednesday, giving students hope for a return to a more normal campus experience.

Universities are one of the places the virus has been known to spread the fastest, so vaccine eligibility is a huge relief.

"It’s really exciting that a bunch of students here can get vaccinated. Hopefully, things can get back to normal," said Straeten Avery, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "All of my friends are going to get vaccinated."

UNC-Chapel Hill has 2,000 doses of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine ready for vaccination clinics Wednesday at the Friday Center and the student union.

At Duke University, students can get vaccinated on campus starting Thursday.

"The reason I’m eager to get it is the milestone of it and what it means for everyone else here," Duke freshman Connor Booher said. "I’m just a small number, but once that adds up on the whole of the campus, then that begets things going back to normal."

With the rapid vaccine rollout for students and for the country, Duke senior Joseph Touma said he believes the university should reconsider its graduation plans.

For now, Duke has said the May 2 ceremony will be outdoors, with no guests allowed.

"I think, by early May, things are going to look a lot different, and I think it’s time for Duke to change course on this one," said Touma, who wrote an op-ed for the student newspaper this week, urging Duke officials to allow students to bring at least a couple members of their families to graduation.

"Graduation is a really important, monumental event in a person’s life, and our families should be there to witness it," he said.

Duke officials said they are reviewing all options for graduation.

 Credits 

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.