Cyclone Health announced that Iowa State will be implementing the state’s COVID-19 vaccination strategy when the vaccine arrives. 

The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) has created a phased approach outline for vaccine distribution. In upcoming weeks the state will receive a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccines, which will first go to health care workers and long-term care facilities. 

Iowa State’s Public Health and Emergency Operations Teams are working together to create a comprehensive plan for vaccine distribution, which will include the general public once the vaccination is more widely available. 

Iowa State will contain the vaccines in an ultra-low temperature freezer space to store the vaccine and Thielen Student Health Center, which has been authorized to administer the vaccine on campus to students, faculty and staff. However, the vaccine is currently approved only for adults 18 and older.

IDPH has made changes that require a shorter, 10-day quarantine. Iowa State is following these recommendations and implementing a 10-day quarantine protocol. This applies to asymptomatic individuals who have had close contact with a positive COVID-19 case. This is defined as individuals within 6 feet of each other for 15 consecutive minutes or more, where face coverings were not worn correctly and consistently the entire time. 

On-campus testing has moved to Thielen Student Health Center for the winter where students, faculty and staff can receive COVID-19 tests. Face coverings are still required on campus and must be worn properly, at all times, over your mouth and nose.

Frequent response updates from Iowa State involving COVID-19 can be found at the COVID-19 Response website.