Students Praise AUC Vaccine Drive, But Some Still Reluctant
By: Habiba Al-Roubi
@habibaalroubi1_
Photo Courtesy of EgyptToday
AUCs vaccination drive has received high praise for efficiency and speed from students who received their first shots last week.
AUCs vaccination rollout began on May 17 benefiting 5,000 members of the community, in the hopes of returning to face-to-face classes in the fall.
The current phase of vaccinating students, staff and faculty members at the new convention center by Al Rashdan Mosque in Nasr City ends on May 23.
Construction Engineering junior Youssef Lotfy told The Caravan how simple the process was when he got to the vaccination center.
“We had to wait for the [SMS] message from the Ministry of Health before going or else they wouldn’t let you in. I took the AstraZeneca vaccine and I barely felt any side effects, even though some of my friends did,” said Lotfy.
Areej Amr, a freshman intending to major in Architectural Engineering who got the Sinopharm vaccine, also said that the process was quick and efficient.
“The process didn’t last 10 minutes, I got a slip from the electronic board with a number on it to know when it’s my turn to enter. I got vaccinated and left immediately, I had no side effects at all,” said Amr.
According to AUC Counselor Ashraf Hatem, if a significant number of the AUC community gets vaccinated, there is an increased likelihood of returning to campus by Fall 2021.
“If 60 percent of the AUC community gets vaccinated, which is a total of 6,000 members, the administration will consider returning to campus,” said Hatem in an interview with RADUC, The Caravan’s official podcast.
However, some students are still hesitant about taking the vaccine. Nevertheless, some students are encouraged to take it as it raises the chances of getting back on campus or traveling abroad.
Malak Hassan, a freshman intending to major in Management of Information and Communication (MICT), is one of the skeptical students who is unsure of whether or not to get the vaccine. She has been hearing about some rare side effects like blood clotting.
“I’m scared honestly because of the side effects of the vaccine, but I think that in the long run, it will make life easier as it will be a requirement for traveling and for going to a lot of places, like returning on campus,” Hassan said.
Rana Ali, an Architectural Engineering junior is unsure about the vaccine’s efficacy.
“Honestly, I prefer to wait and not decide now. I take the precautions needed so I believe that waiting wouldn’t be a problem for me,” Ali said.
Other community members like Shaima ElAmrousy, a teaching assistant in the Chemistry department, believe that the vaccine is a must. She has registered through the Ministry of Health (MoH) website and is currently waiting for their response.
“The sooner you get it [the vaccine], the better and quicker life will get back to normal,” said ElAmrousy.
Biology professor Rania Siam believes that it’s great that AUC is working on facilitating innoculation for the community. She took the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine outside of Egypt and will be taking the second dose in a few weeks.
“I am a strong advocate of vaccines as vaccines have prevented so many diseases; for example, when I was still in school, I used to see children with polio. The reason why we don’t see polio cases anymore is because of vaccination,” said Siam.
Siam went on to say that the vaccine could help end the pandemic that has been going on for more than a year.
In an email sent by Vice President for Management and Operations Shereen Shaker on May 16, registration was extended to allow for staff and faculty to register their dependents to receive the vaccine. The minimum age for receiving the vaccine is 18 years old.
