Update posted 10:55 PM, April 8:
Dear Students,
The Bethlehem Health Bureau (BHB) shared they will be releasing the appointments for all BHB clinics remaining in the month of April tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM.
Visit the Bethlehem Health Bureau website at 8:00 AM and click on the COVID-19 vaccine clinic dates and registration for the link to schedule an appointment for your appropriate eligibility date. See below for the message sent earlier today to students regarding eligibility.
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Dear Students and Lehigh Families,
We received information from the Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) that all undergraduate and graduate students living in congregate housing such as apartments, residence halls and other shared living spaces, are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine from LVHN under the current phase, Phase 1B.
When students complete their vaccination, they should upload proof of their completed vaccination to the Health and Wellness Center (see details below) so they will not need to be quarantined if they are identified as a close contact of someone infected with COVID.
Please note: Every vaccine provider and scheduling system is different, so students should be aware that this information is specific to scheduling an appointment through the Lehigh Valley Health Network. Be aware that not all vaccine providers are considering students living in congregate settings under Phase 1B.
Schedule an Appointment Through LVHN Now:
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Appointments are available now through LVHN.
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Students can schedule an appointment by calling the LVHN COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 833-584-6283 (833-LVHN-CVD).
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The COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline hours of operation are Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
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Do not try to use the MyLVHN website, as LVHN has instructed us that this requires special programming; calling is the only way to reserve an appointment as a student (if not a Lehigh employee).
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First-dose appointments can be scheduled at clinics located at the former A.C. Moore store, 2633 MacArthur Road, Whitehall, and Northampton Crossings shopping center in the former Sears Appliance and Hardware store, 3768 Easton Nazareth Highway, Palmer Township. Both locations open on April 12 and will provide COVID-19 vaccinations by appointment only. There is also an upcoming mass vaccination drive-through event at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown on April 10.
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LVHN will be adding vaccination events in the coming weeks.
Other Vaccination Opportunities:
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Regardless of vaccine provider, all students (all Pennsylvanians 16 and older) will become eligible for the vaccine beginning April 19, per the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
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In preparation for the April 19 shift to general eligibility, we are working with the Bethlehem Health Bureau on vaccination opportunities specifically for Lehigh students. More information will follow.
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There are many other providers and vaccination clinics that also have a supply of the vaccine. Supply may vary by your location. Visit the Commonwealth’s page for more information.
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If you have not done so already, we also strongly encourage you to register with both the Lehigh Valley Health Network (students must call the hotline, as instructed above) and St. Luke’s University Health Network in order to be added to their lists for vaccine eligibility.
Considerations:
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Students should pay attention to the timeframe for first and second doses if getting a vaccine that requires two doses.
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If students are not able to get vaccinated in Pennsylvania, or if their second dose would be scheduled to occur after leaving Bethlehem for the semester, they should stay current on their home state’s vaccination rollout and sign up for an appointment in their home state.
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Undergraduate students should follow the health and safety guidelines outlined for age requirements by vaccine; Pfizer’s vaccine has been authorized for 16 and up and Moderna and Johnson & Johnson’s vaccines are currently authorized for ages 18 and up.
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Visit the Commonwealth’s page for more information about other vaccine providers in Pennsylvania. The supply of vaccines may vary by location. Each supplier may also require different information that you are required to provide to reserve an appointment.
Submitting Your Vaccination Information:
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Students who have been vaccinated are not required to quarantine if they are identified as a close contact of a positive case, as long as they are not experiencing COVID-like symptoms.
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Other modifications to our COVID rules are being considered as well. For these modifications to apply, students must upload a copy of their COVID vaccination card on the HWC health portal, including documentation of their full name, name of vaccine received, and the administration date for both doses.
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Regardless of vaccination status, anyone who exhibits new or unexplained symptoms of COVID-19 still needs to isolate and be evaluated for COVID-19 testing.
We created a dedicated Lehigh vaccination webpage that compiles FAQs and additional links to external resources. This page will also be updated with any Lehigh-specific vaccination policies and information.
We strongly encourage students who are able to get vaccinated to do so when they are eligible and are hopeful that with this advancement in the rollout of the vaccine, we are another step closer to fully resuming our residential living and in-person learning together.
Sincerely,
Nathan Urban
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ricardo Hall
Vice President of Student Affairs
David Rubenstein
Executive Director, Health and Wellness Center