Shots, Brats and Brews Vaccination Clinic Saturday; Another Walk

University of Wyoming employees and students have more opportunities to be vaccinated for COVID-19 in the next week, with two walk-in clinics scheduled in Laramie.

The first is Saturday, June 5, from 1-4 p.m. at the First Street (Coal Creek) Plaza downtown. Called “Shots, Brats and Brews,” the event offers Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to anyone 18 and older.

“Those receiving a vaccine can come enjoy a hot (or cold) brew on the house, as well as a brat courtesy of the city of Laramie,” say the organizers, which include UW, the city of Laramie, Albany County Public Health, Ivinson Memorial Hospital, and Coal Creek Coffee Co. and Tap House.

The final event offered by the Albany County COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic team for the summer term is scheduled Thursday, June 10, from 2-4 p.m. at the former National Guard Armory -- located at 2901 E. Armory Road, at the corner of 30th Street and East Armory Road.

COVID-19 vaccines also are now readily available to the public at Walmart, Walgreens, Pole Mountain Pharmacy, Ridley’s, Stitches Acute Care, Laramie Pediatrics, Albany Community Health Clinic, Ivinson Medical Group, the Downtown Clinic and Family Physicians of Laramie.

As of Tuesday, 2,028 of UW’s 2,933 benefited employees -- 69.1 percent -- have reported being fully vaccinated -- two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines, or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. All of the vaccines have been shown to be safe and highly effective.

This week’s winner of a prize drawing among UW employees who’ve reported being vaccinated is Zane Dobler, who works at the University Store. He receives tickets to an upcoming event from the Department of Theatre and Dance.

While vaccinations are not required for UW students and employees -- instead, they’re strongly encouraged -- students and employees must report their vaccinations once they’ve received them. This allows the university to track overall vaccination numbers. The information is not being used for any other purpose, except to enter those who’ve reported their vaccinations into the drawing for prizes. The university’s privacy protocols are being followed.

Names are drawn weekly for prizes from the total pool of employees who’ve reported being fully vaccinated. If you are unable to be vaccinated due to medical or religious reasons, you may contact Human Resources to participate in the drawing.

For employees, a quick reference guide has been created to help report vaccinations within UW’s HCM. 

Students who receive their COVID-19 vaccinations should upload documentation to the Student Health Service patient portal as soon as their vaccine series is complete. This is as simple as taking a photo of your vaccination document and uploading the picture here: http://patientportal.uwyo.edu, using your regular UW user ID and password.

Students and employees who aren’t in Laramie for the summer can go to https://vaccinefinder.org/search/ and learn where vaccines are available. They can even narrow the search to look for a particular type (Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) in up to a 50-mile radius of the zip code they enter.

In addition to being in the running for prize drawings, UW employees who’ve reported being fully vaccinated are eligible for a personal day off. This vaccination appreciation day must be taken before Aug. 15. Employees will need to follow the standard processes for requesting time off, in collaboration with and approval by supervisors. The vaccination appreciation day will be tracked in this manner:

-- For salaried exempt employees, managers will track the day manually -- it will not be added to the HCM system, and it will be used in whole-day increments.

-- For salaried non-exempt employees, eight hours will be added to the Comp Bank and are to be used with normal Comp Bank rules established in the units. The hours will be prorated for part-time workers, if applicable.

-- For hourly non-benefited employees, the Payroll Office asks you to use the “Vaccine Appreciation Leave” time-reporting code; the hours will be prorated to their full-time equivalent status; supervisors will track usage entered by employees into the timekeeping system; and units will establish rules for use.

Separately, employees who experience reactions from the vaccines are eligible to use emergency sick leave with pay as described in the university’s COVID-19 leave policy.

More information about UW’s COVID-19 response can be found at www.uwyo.edu/campus-return, which is being updated as information becomes available. Those with questions about testing and other COVID-19 issues may call (307) 766-COVD (2683) or email COVID19@uwyo.edu.

Questions specifically about the vaccine should be emailed to COVIDVX@uwyo.edu. A UW vaccine webpage has been established at www.uwyo.edu/alerts/campus-return/vaccination.