March 17, 2021

Dear UM Colleagues,

Yesterday, Gov. Gianforte announced that COVID-19 vaccines will be available to all Montanans beginning April 1. This is terrific news - UM educators and employees in Phase 1C now will be able to receive vaccines very soon.

Right now, our campus vaccine coordination team is planning for clinics specifically for University employees to begin on April 1 here on campus. Our goal is to, as quickly as possible, administer the vaccine to all employees who wish to be vaccinated. We also are planning clinics for students.

We now can offer the Johnson & Johnson vaccine (a single-dose vaccine) in addition to the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. Our hope is to complete vaccinations prior to April 30, though we anticipate additional clinics over the summer and as students return in the fall.

Details about these clinics, along with appointment sign-ups, will be shared next week.

The exciting progress we are making in protecting the UM family is truly a team effort. Our Health Services Pharmacy here on campus has delivered more than 7,500 doses in our community, and I am grateful for their service and leadership as we expand availability for our campus community. I'd like to acknowledge Ken Chatriand, Pharm. D. Health Services pharmacy manager, and our pharmacy students for administering vaccines. They have been tireless in their efforts to serve our community.

I'd also like to thank the Curry Health Center team for their assistance with vaccine clinics and records management, as well as UM's Griz Health team, Shannon Brilz and our Conference and Events Services team, and Brandon Kress in the Adams Center for their leadership in planning for and managing the operational details of our campus-based vaccine clinics. Thanks also to the many volunteers and our Missoula City-County partners who have been integral to these efforts.

It has been an incredible collaboration and yet another terrific example of the way the UM family has come together to address the challenges of this pandemic.

Seth