NDSU offers free vaccinations and $100 incentive for its students

With cases on the rise in the Fargo-Moorhead area, vaccinations are becoming more crucial for the community.

While some universities have mandated vaccinations for students that live on campus or participate in athletics, such as the University of Minnesota, North Dakota State University plans to take a different approach.

On Aug. 19, NDSU President Dean Bresciani communicated information via email about the new incentive for students who receive the vaccination. Each student that is fully vaccinated will be give $100.

“I have repeatedly indicated that the best way to reduce the impact of COVID-19 and the delta variant to our community is to have as many people vaccinated as possible,” Bresciani said. “This incentive is designed to do just that.”

According to the North Dakota Department of Health, 58.3 percent of Cass County residents 18 or older are fully vaccinated. As for the entire state of North Dakota, 50.3 percent of the 18 or older population is vaccinated.

Cases recorded by the NDSU System show an increase in cases among college students and show a current positivity rate of 3.6 percent.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says the delta variant is the predominant variant accounting for over 90 percent of cases in August. The ND Department of Health also confirms the delta variant as the likely predominant variant in North Dakota.

All NDSU full-time or part-time undergraduate, graduate and professional students who are enrolled at NDSU for the fall 2021 semester are eligible. Collaborative and Tri-College students who do not live on campus and benefited employees who are taking classes are among those who are not eligible for this incentive.

Currently, each eligible student must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 15, 2021. According to the CDC, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series, such as Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

Faculty reminds students that the Pfizer/Moderna vaccinations require multiple weeks between the first and second vaccinations which means that you should plan to get your first Pfizer/Moderna vaccination no later than Sept. 15.

“Please, please get vaccinated if you haven’t already done so,” Bresciani said.

The university offers numerous vaccination clinics where students can get vaccinated for free and become eligible. More information will be available to students soon and can be found on NDSU’s website at https://www.ndsu.edu/covid19/vaccine_information.

In addition, students can receive free vaccinations at Student Health Service by appointment, which can be scheduled by calling 701-231-7331.