Vaccination

LAU Preparedness

LAU is currently increasing its preparedness for the rollout of the vaccination campaign. Namely, the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital is being set up as a national center for vaccination, in accordance with the plan of the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH).

The LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital:

• Is preparing the physical facilities, by dedicating an area for the triage, administration, and monitoring of the patients.
• Has a -80^oC storage facility.
• Is training the personnel for the handling and administration of the vaccines.

Note that the current plans are based on the MOPH plans, and the amount of vaccines they will be providing. The target population is presently the front-liners in COVID-19 response, both physicians and nurses.

In parallel, LAU is exploring ways to increase its supply of vaccines, working with other universities, with friends of LAU and with the LAU Board of Trustees.

LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital will manage the vaccination process:

• Increase LAU’s preparedness in the rollout of the vaccination campaign.
• Prepare the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital as a national center for vaccination in accordance with the plan of the Ministry of Public Health.
• Manage the vaccination process.
• Procure vaccines from MOPH directly.
• Procure vaccines with other universities.
• Prepare vaccination site (storage, triage, stations and distribution).
• Increase awareness for the vaccination campaign among LAU community.

What you Should Know about your Second Dose

• Your next appointment does not have to be exactly 21 days after your first dose. It can be a few days before or after. 
• Your second dose of vaccine should be from the same manufacturing company, as per CDC recommendations.
• You might experience a strong but not serious reaction after the second dose. It can happen in about 20% of vaccinated people and can last up to 2-3 days.
• You can take 1 mg of acetaminophen every six hours for 48 hours to relieve any side effects (like fever and aches).
• If you develop a rash or mild allergic reaction after your first vaccination, you can take one dose of antihistamine an hour before your second vaccine.
• You should avoid taking any other vaccine for two weeks after the second dose to allow for a better immunological response to each vaccine. Studies on concomitant vaccination is not available.
• You only gain full immunity two weeks after your second dose of the vaccine.
• You should keep wearing your mask at all times in the presence of others until more people are vaccinated, less cases are reported and herd immunity has been reached.