GOOD MORNING.
I’M ADAM SEXTON.
AS MORE OF THE OLDER POPULATION IS VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19,
WE’VE SEEN CASES SHIFT INTO YOUNGER POPULATIONS.
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN AMONG THOSE HARDEST HIT BY
THIS THIRD WAVE OF THE PANDEMIC IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, AND AS THEY
DEAL WITH THAT, THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING TO THE FUTURE AND TRYING
TO DETERMINE HOW VACCINATION WILL FACTOR INTO THEIR RETURN TO
CAMPUS IN THE FALL.
HERE THIS MORNING TO DISCUSS, DR. DONALD BIRX, PRESIDENT OF
PLYMOUTH STATE UNIVERSITY, AND NEW ENGLAND COLLEGE PRESIDENT
DR. MICHELE PERKINS.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US, AND LET’S START WITH YOU, DR.
BIRX, ON THE PUBLIC INSTITUTION SIDE.
YESTERDAY, GOVERNOR CHRIS SUNUNU SAID HE DOES NOT WANT THE
UNIVERSITY SYSTEM MANDATING COVID-19 VACCINES AS A
PREREQUISITE TO RETURN FOR THE FALL.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?
DR. BIRX: I WAS THINKING THIS -- ABOUT THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF
WHAT APPARENT WITH THINK ABOUT -- ABOUT WHAT A PARENT WOULD
THINK ABOUT THIS.
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE PRESSURES ON US AND ON PARENTS TO TRY TO
MAKE IT -- IF WE FALL SHORT OF MANDATED, AT LEAST PUSH IT AS
HARD AS WE CAN SO STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THEY SHOULD GET
VACCINATED BEFORE TO COME TO COLLEGE -- BEFORE THEY COME TO
COLLEGE.
WE ARE WELL AWARE OF THE GOVERNOR’S POSITION.
WE ARE TRYING TO ALSO REALIZE THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE WORK
ON AND IN, IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN OPEN CAMPUS, WE WILL HAVE TO
THINK ABOUT GETTING AS MANY PEOPLE VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.
ADAM: DR. PERKINS, WHAT ABOUT NEC?
SOME PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS HAVE ALREADY MOVED FORWARD WITH THIS.
WHERE DO YOUR DISCUSSIONS STAND IN HENNIKER?
>> THE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS CODE, AND I KNOW AT LEAST ONE
HAS ANNOUNCED THAT WILL BE A REQUIREMENT.
WE ARE INCLINED IN THAT DIRECTION BUT WE WANT TO WAIT A
FEW MORE WEEKS BEFORE MAKING THAT DECISION WHETHER TO
MANDATE.
THAT WOULD BE OUR PREFERENCE AT THIS POINT.
ADAM: WE KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE CONTRACTED THE VIRUS.
IS THE GOAL EVENTUALLY HERD IMMUNITY FOR YOUR CAMPUS?
DR. BIRX: SO WE CAN BE VERY OPEN IN THE FALL, THAT IS OUR GOAL.
EITHER HAVE HAD IT OR HAPPEN VACCINATED IS THE GOAL WE ARE
SHOOTING FOR.
ADAM: WE KNOW VACCINE HESITANCY IS AN ISSUE EVERYWHERE.
NOT JUST COLLEGE CAMPUSES.
WHAT ABOUT AMONG THE STUDENT POPULATION?
DR. PERKINS, DO YOU ENVISION HAVING TO DO SOME CONVINCING, OR
A CLINIC OR TRYING TO GET THE STUDENTS TO TAKE THE VACCINE?
DR. PERKINS: WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT HAVING SOME INCENTIVES
THAT WILL MAKE PUTTING THE VACCINE SENSIBLE AND APPEALING
FOR STUDENTS REGARDLESS OF THE MANDATE.
WE WILL IMPLEMENT SOME OF THOSE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT STARTING NEXT WEEK, STUDENTS CAN BE
ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, WHICH IS VERY GOOD
FOR US CONSIDERING WE HAVE A NUMBER OF STUDENTS STAY IN THE
SUMMER.
ADAM: HOW DO YOU DO BATTLE WITH VACCINE HESITANCY ON CAMPUS?
DR. BIRX: WE HAVE THE ARMORY NEXT DOOR.
THE GOVERNOR’S DECISION TO OPEN IT UP TO ALL THE STUDENTS WAS A
GREAT ONE SO WE HAVE STUDENTS ENGAGED RIGHT NOW AND GETTING
THE VACCINE ACROSS THE STREET.
RIGHT NEXT TO CAMPUS.
WE HAVE HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS TAKE UP THAT CHALLENGE.
WE ARE ENCOURAGING THE STUDENTS THAT IF THEY WANT TO HAVE AN
EXPERIENCE IN THE FALL OF HAVING A COMPLETELY OPEN CAMPUS, WE
NEED TO HAVE AS MANY VACCINATED AS POSSIBLE.
ADAM: DR. PERKINS, THIS IS NOT LIKE THE NMR SHOT.
THERE IS A POLITICAL ASPECT.
HOW DO YOU PUSH THROUGH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN LAID
ON TOP OF THE SCIENCE OF THIS VACCINE?
DR. PERKINS: IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE LARGE MAJORITY ARE VERY
EXCITED ABOUT GETTING THE VACCINE, VERY SUPPORTIVE.
IF WE DO MANDATE THE VACCINE, STUDENTS AND/OR FACULTY AND
STAFF, THERE WILL BE SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR MEDICAL AND
RELIGIOUS REGIONS.
WE WANT TO BE SENSITIVE TO THOSE WHO MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT
PERSPECTIVE.
IT IS OUR GOAL TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE SAFEST CAMPUS WE CAN
PROVIDE FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO ARE GOING TO STUDY HERE.
ADAM: WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?
THERE ARE SOME CAMPUS POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE BEGAN TO
-- THAT HAVE BEGUN TO ORGANIZE.
DR. BIRX: IT IS ABOUT GETTING AS EDUCATED AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THE
SCIENCE BEHIND IT AND THE BENEFITS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF PROOFS, PFIZER AND MODERNA ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL
WITH VERY FEW SIDE EFFECTS.
CERTAINLY, WE WILL HAVE EXCEPTIONS.
WE WILL HAVE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT WANT TO GET IT BUT WE REALLY
THINK WE CAN ACHIEVE CLOSE TO 90% VACCINATIONS.
AT THAT LEVEL, WE FEEL PRETTY CONFIDENT.
AND ACCOMMODATE THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE VACCINATED.
ADAM: AS YOU EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITY OF A MANDATE, HOW
MUCH THOUGHT HAVE YOU HAD TO GET TO THIS CONCEPT OF FAKE VACCINE
DOCUMENTS?
SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SHARED THAT CARD ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
DO YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT?
DR. PERKINS: WE HAVE NOT STARTED TO WORRY ABOUT IT YET.
WE WILL BE DOING EVERYTHING THAT IS PRUDENT AND PROFESSIONAL TO
ENSURE THAT DOCUMENTATION IS ACCURATE.
WE DO THIS FOR ALL OF OUR OTHER VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS.
I AM CONFIDENT WE CAN FIGURE THIS OUT ADAM:.
THE RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION IS HARD AND FAST.
THERE HAS TO BE A PRETTY STEADY NUMBER OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO WOULD
COME TO SCHOOL AND SAY, I AM NOT GOING TO DO THAT FOR RELIGIOUS
REGIONS -- RELIGIOUS REASONS.
DO YOU GET TO ASK QUESTIONS IF THERE IS A MASSIVE INCREASE OF
RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS?
DR. BIRX: THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION.
WE ARE GOING TO WATCH CAREFULLY WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM.
WE HAVE THE OPTION ON THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY BE PRETTY
PERSUASIVE AND CONVINCING THEM ABOUT THE BENEFITS.
WE WILL PROBABLY SEE A SPIKE.
I WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED.
IT IS AN EMERGENCY VACCINATION.
I THINK THAT WILL CHANGE BEFORE THE FALL.
EVEN IF IT DOES NOT, THERE ARE SOME ISSUES.
I THINK THE PROOF AND THE ACTUALITY AND THE VIABILITY OF
THE VACCINE IS SO GREAT THAT I THINK WE WILL GET THERE.
I HAVE SEEN ACROSS CAMPUS A REAL INTEREST IN STUDENTS IN GETTING
THE VACCINE AND I HAVE SEEN VERY LITTLE PUSHBACK.
I AM ENCOURAGED BY THAT.
ADAM: HOW CLOSE TO NORMAL DO YOU THINK YOU WILL BE HERE COME THE
FALL?
DR. PERKINS: NORMAL WILL BE A NEW NORMAL.
IT WILL BE DIFFERENT FROM ANYTHING WE HAVE EVER KNOWN.
OUR STUDENTS HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY MATURE AND
CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT ABIDING BY THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE ON
CAMPUS.
IT HAS BEEN VERY, VERY HARD.
EVERYONE WANTS TO BE ABLE TO RETURN TO A TIME WHEN WE CAN
HAVE GROUP MEETINGS, CONGREGATE AND HAVE EVENTS.
THERE IS GREAT ENTHUSIASM FOR THE VAST MAJORITY TO GET THE
VACCINE.
ADAM: WHAT IS NORMAL GOING TO LOOK LIKE IN PLYMOUTH?
DR. BIRX: IT IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE BEFORE THE VIRUS HIT.
AS WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THIS, I SEE THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE
MOST THINGS OPEN.
I DO NOT SEE ANY PLANS -- WE WILL HAVE TESTING AVAILABLE,
THAT IS FOR SURE.
I SEE THE CAMPUS ON A FALL AS BEING OPEN VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT
IT WAS BEFORE THE PANDEMIC EVER HIT.
ADAM: DR. PERKINS, WHAT IS GRADUATION GOING TO LOOK LIKE
THIS YEAR?
DR. PERKINS: WE PLANNED AND ANNOUNCED A LONG TIME AGO THAT
WE WOULD HAVE A VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE IN ADDITION TO 1200 UNDERGRADUATES, WE HAVE MANY
MORE GRADUATE ONLINE STUDENTS.
A LOT OF THEM WOULD LIKE TO COME TO CAMPUS FOR GRADUATION.
WE COULD HAVE AS MANY AS 1000 GRADUATES.
IT IS NOT PRUDENT OR FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME.
SINCE THE CASES CONTINUE TO GO UP, EVEN THOUGH THE VACCINATIONS
IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE REMARKABLE -- I THINK WE ARE ON TOP OF THE
COUNTRY -- WE ARE PLANNING A VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT.
THAT SAID, WE HAVE HIRED A PRODUCTION COMPANY AND WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE A VERY NICE PRODUCTION.
WE HAVE INVITED THE GRADUATING STUDENTS TO COME BACK.
WE HOPE FOR AN IN-PERSON CELEBRATION FOR THOSE WHO WOULD
WANT TO COME BACK IN PERSON.
DR. BIRX: WE ARE AT THE SAME PLACE MICHELLE WAS.
WE WERE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS.
WE WERE CONSIDERING VERY DIFFERENT SCENARIOS.
WE CAME UP WITH THE PROCESS FOR WE WILL HAVE AN IN-PERSON
GRADUATION, WHICH IS KIND OF UNIQUE.
IT WILL BE FENCED OFF.
WE ARE NOT HAVING GUESTS, AT LEAST WITHIN THAT SPACE.
WE PUT SOME SCREENS UP.
WE WILL STREAM IT AND WE WILL CLOSE IT OFF ON THE ROADS WHERE
PARENTS CAN GATHER IF THEY WANT TO SEE THEIR STUDENT.
WE ARE AT A MIX.
I CAN UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES PRESIDENTS FACE WITH
COMMENCEMENT.
WE ARE COMBINING THE CLASS OF 2020 AND THE CLASS OF 2021.
ADAM: HOPEFULLY, WE CAN SEE EVERYONE WALKING DOWN THE
VARIOUS AISLES TO POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE THE OLD DAYS.
THANK YOU FOR