Trinity will open a pop-up vaccination centre in the New Square marquee for two days next week.
The walk-in clinic will be open from 8:30am to 8pm on Monday 27th and Wednesday 29th and no appointment is required.
All staff and students who have not yet been vaccinated can avail of the service.
In an email statement to The University Times, Trinity Media Relations Officer Catherine O’Mahoney said: “The aim is to maximise vaccine uptake in those who have not yet availed of vaccination, including international students, and to build on the gains already achieved with the vaccine programme.”
“The clinic will provide first or second doses.”
Director of the College Health Service David McGrath told The University Times: “This is an excellent opportunity for our students and staff to get vaccinated to make our campus as safe as possible as we begin the new academic year.”
“I strongly encourage as many people as possible to participate in the vaccination programme”, he said.
“It will be especially beneficial to our international students who may not have a recognised vaccination in Ireland.”
The HSE vaccination centre on campus is one of 11 centres in colleges announced by the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.
Provost Linda Doyle has committed to removing all social distancing in College after reading week.
In a video posted to Twitter last week, she said: “We are having issues especially about in-person teaching and learning. I want to assure you we are working through those issues and focusing on finding solutions.”
“After October 22nd, the country will be open in full. That brings us up to reading week. So when you come back after Reading week we will have no social distancing”, she added.
The Schools of Physics and Chemistry have told their students that all lectures will be online until November 1st and, while some lab practicals are taking place as planned, several will be moved to a virtual environment.
Yesterday, around 200 students gathered outside the Dining Hall to protest the continuation of online teaching in College.
Organised by student campaign groups Students4Change and TCD F2F, various speakers rallied the crowd and claimed students had been misled and robbed of their college experience.
Speaking to The University Times, Students4Change Chair László Molnárfi said that students’ education “needs to be taken into account”.
“All they have given us is bureaucratic jargon and excuses”, he said. “Instead of giving us proper in-person classes, they spent the summer writing meaningless statements and emails full of empty promises.”
“We want immediate reinstallation of face to face learning, or if this is not possible, we want refunds. We want the library and other facilities open for students, we want overnight guests allowed in Trinity accommodation, as per government guidelines.”
The provost was in attendance – speaking to The University Times she said: “I completely get where people are coming from and how they’re frustrated.”
“I’m here to listen to what they have to say. Without a doubt we’re doing lots of things that are addressing the things [students are saying].”
She added: “I sent an email to one of the organisers earlier today outlining all the things we are doing. And there’s other things that we need to do better at. But I’m completely happy to work with people to make things better.”
