The College of Pharmacy administered Moderna vaccines last week to students, faculty, staff and the Monroe community.

According to Jessica Brady, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, the College of Pharmacy applied to the Louisiana Department of Health to receive and dispense the vaccines.

The LDH sent 600 doses of the vaccine, along with 16 “angel doses,” which are additional doses that allowed them to vaccinate 16 extra people. All 616 of the doses were administered over four days.

The vaccines were administered by pharmacy students and faculty. One of the pharmacy students, Monica Whitman, said she decided to help out because everyone should be doing their part to end the pandemic.

Whitman wants students to know the vaccine is trustworthy. The Moderna vaccine showed 94% efficacy in trials and Pfizer showed 95%.

“Yes, they are new vaccines, but the science and technology behind them isn’t and we should trust it,” Whitman said.

When the vaccine is administered, a piece of the virus called a spike protein is injected. Your body builds the antibodies to fight off that protein, so then they can fight the coronavirus if they ever come into contact with it.

Brady said that the virus is not what’s being injected–just a piece of it. And you cannot get the virus from the vaccine.

After the first shot, you have to go back for a second one which boosts the antibodies and gives you better and longer protection against the virus.