LEXINGTON, Ky. — Students at the University of Kentucky have the option to receive the Johnson & Johnson vaccine starting Tuesday. 

What You Need To Know

  • University of Kentucky students have the option to choose J&J vaccine

  • Single-shot dose is available by appointment

  • Supply of 800 doses available this week

It’s the single-shot dose that could help students wrap up the semester before the summer break.

The university has a supply of at least 800 doses and more vaccines could soon roll in said spokesperson Jay Blanton.

“This is an opportunity to get a lot of people vaccinated very quickly, who we know are going to be out in communities and intermingling with people in and around people and this was a great way to expedite that process,” Blanton said.

This week in Kentucky anyone 16 and up can now get a COVID-19 vaccine, but only people 18 and older may receive the J&J product.

“With that eligibility increasing, we've gotten a supply of Johnson and Johnson. We've got a great use for that would be in the closing weeks of a semester to offer that to students,” Blanton said.

The university said they will continue to vaccinate the J&J vaccine to students this week at the Gatton student center and at the K-Lair, located in Haggin Hall, pending availability.

Chloe Bohan, 21, is among the many students receiving a COVID-19 vaccine inserted into her arm.

“It’s kind of surreal cuz I never thought that the vaccine would come out a year later and then to having it on Kentucky’s campus is amazing,” Bohan said.

The University of Kentucky student received the single-shot dose on Tuesday followed by a routine COVID-19 test. She made a vaccine appointment at Kroger Field but canceled it to get the single shot instead.

“For that, it was two shots and then they sent out an email yesterday saying that they had the Johnson and Johnson and I just wanted to make sure it was the one-shot vaccine,” Bohan said.

She chose the one-shot because next month classes will end for her.

“I just wanted to know that, like, I’m keeping my family safe because my parents just came up for Easter and I’m visiting my grandparents pretty soon,” Bohan said.

With the semester winding down, Bohan said being protected from the virus is important to her before visiting her grandparents in Florida.

“I just want to make sure like everything's super safe and with school, everything's been really hectic. So I thought, the one-shot would be the best thing for me, like, academically and personally with my family,” Bohan said.

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