UNT Health Science Center has opened its fourth community vaccination clinic as part of a partnership with Tarrant County. The site on the campus of UT Arlington has the ability to vaccinate 600 people a day.
"This will serve not just UTA but also Arlington, southeastern Tarrant County and, frankly, anyone who wants a vaccine. We are here," says UNT Health Science Center Senior Vice President for Clinical Innovation Jessica Rangel.
This summer, most classes at UT Arlington will continue online. Interim President Teik Lim says he hopes to move back to more in-person classes this fall if the vaccination rate increases.
"When you come to a university, you're not only getting an education of the mind. You're getting an education of the heart. You're making new friends and building a network," he says. "Getting vaccinated, as many as possible, allows them to continue that activity."
The vaccine is not required, but Lim says students and staff at UT Arlington are encouraged to get it.
"We are not allowed to mandate vaccinations, but with that, we encourage every student, every faculty and every staff to get vaccinated," he says. "But we cannot require vaccinations before coming back to campus."
Rangel says UNT Health Science Center is also increasing outreach to answer questions from people who may be hesitant to trust the vaccine's safety.
"We are setting up several different public discussions where people can ask questions about their concerns or just share their concerns about vaccines," she says. "We have the evidence. We have the data, and we are happy to discuss it."
The vaccination site is at UT Arlington's Physical Education Building and will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the next two weeks. After that, the site will move to second doses.
The site will allow walk-ins, but people can make appointments at tarrantcountystrong.com.
