LORMAN — Alcorn State University is doing its part in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 by providing a vaccination site for citizens in surrounding areas.

In collaboration with Claiborne County Emergency Management and the Mississippi State Department of Health, the university community opened a COVID-19 drive-thru vaccination site Tuesday on Alcorn’s campus.

Vaccines will be given on campus in the parking lot next to the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex each Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. “for the foreseeable future,” the university said.

“We want to serve our citizens,” Marvin Ratliff, director for Claiborne County Emergency Management, said. “It’s important that our citizens see local faces that they’re familiar with who are trying to help. It makes them more comfortable with taking the vaccine. This effort will help our community get back to normal in the future.”

Jim Craig, the senior deputy, and director for the Mississippi State Department of Health’s Office of Health Protection urged everyone in the area to take advantage of their opportunity to get vaccinated.

“Now is the time to get your shot,” Craig said. “If you’re in this area and you are thinking about getting the shot, then it’s time to get vaccinated.”

Alcorn President Felecia M. Nave expressed the importance of community outreach and how making vaccinations accessible for the region fits into the university’s plan of action.

“Our community members are not just our neighbors, but also they are part of the Alcorn family,” Nave said. “For us, that means being there in times of need, which is why Alcorn is doing all that it can to assist our greater family in the fight against COVID-19. Our close-knit family plays a significant role in the university’s success, so it’s only fitting that we return the favor with an initiative that will help protect and safeguard people’s well-being.

“The vaccine is the key to us getting our lives back,” she said. “It allows us to embrace our loved ones again. It eliminates the risk of being infected or possibly infecting others by simply being in each other’s presence. It makes way for us to enjoy simple pleasures such as enjoying a movie or having dinner at a restaurant. The vaccine is the key to a return to normalcy.”

Carl Robinson, a resident of Hermanville, believes the site is perfect for offering citizens what they need to help end the pandemic.

“I think this is a good thing for our communities,” said Robinson. “I’m also confident in the protection that the vaccine will offer me and others.”