March 5, 2021

Colleagues,

As you know, we have been and are continuing to work diligently to ensure that as many members of the UM family can receive the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. It is exciting to see vaccine supply expanding, and recent news that vaccines will be broadly available earlier than previously forecast is very encouraging. That said, we recognize that right now it can be difficult to understand the vaccine distribution process, who’s eligible and exactly when people can get vaccinated. I write today to provide an update on current vaccine availability and guidance in our community.

As explained in yesterday’s COVID-19 update, vaccines come to Montana via two sources: the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program and also directly to the state for administration by Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. Each of these distribution processes involves different guidance for how the vaccine is administered, including specific phases.

In Montana, there are differences between the federal and state phases, particularly with regard to educators and employees of pre-K-12 schools and universities. Montana DPHHS places all educators in Phase 1c (unless they qualify for earlier phases based on other criteria). The federal guidance, however, specifically identifies pre-K and K-12 teachers and staff to receive the vaccine immediately. As a result, this week you’ve probably seen announcements that MCPS teachers will receive vaccinations in partnership with Granite Pharmacy, which received a federal distribution of vaccines to be deployed in line with federal guidance. 

Unfortunately, the recent federal guidance doesn’t refer directly to higher education, and we are working to get clarity on this issue and hope to see higher education included. At the same time, we know that at least some of the pharmacies receiving federal vaccine are offering vaccinations to any educator or employee from pre-K-12 up through the university level.

As you are aware, in addition to the private pharmacies that have received vaccines, UM’s Health Services Pharmacy has played an incredibly important role in administering vaccines for our community this year. The vaccines that our team receives are from the state DPHHS distribution and as such must be administered in accordance with the state guidance. Our pharmacy team has run a number of large, very successful public vaccination events during the past weeks, and members of the UM family have been vaccinated at these events.

In addition to these larger public events, we currently are planning to begin vaccination clinics specifically for UM students and employees. We hope to begin these clinics the week of March 15 and continue until campus needs are met. We will continue to pursue vaccines through the federal distribution, and we will update the campus as we learn more about our access to those doses and guidelines for administering them. Our goal is to get as much vaccine as possible to our community while also following state, local and federal guidelines.

If you plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine and have access – through whatever channel available – please do so. A quick search for Missoula today rendered nine providers, of which four had vaccine in stock. Clicking on a pharmacy from the list will show the type of vaccine they have available and take you through the process of setting up an appointment.

Thank you for your patience during this unprecedented and often confusing vaccination process. We are doing our best to serve our community while following the appropriate guidance. The ultimate solution is, of course, vaccine supplies sufficient to meet demand. We are working every day toward this end.

Seth