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Recently the CDC announced that nearly 80% of the US’s teachers have been vaccinated with at least their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccination. These numbers are the result of President Biden’s push in March to get K-12 teachers and staff vaccinated. Biden called for every teacher to get at least their first dose by the end of March, and it looks like it’s paid off.
Nearly 80 percent of teachers and childcare staff have received at least their first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced on Tuesday.
More than 2 million teachers, school staff and childcare workers got one dose of the vaccine through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program by the end of March. An additional 5-6 million were vaccinated through their state programs, the CDC’s latest estimates and survey data found.
“Our push to ensure that teachers, school staff, and childcare workers were vaccinated during March has paid off and paved the way for safer in-person learning,” said Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, the CDC director, in a statement.
“CDC will build on the success of this program and work with our partners to continue expanding our vaccination efforts, as we work to ensure confidence in COVID-19 vaccines,” she added.
The announcement comes one month after President Joe Biden said he would be directing states to prioritize the vaccination of pre-K through 12 educators and staff and childcare workers as part of his push to reopen schools.
[From People]
I pretty sure we’re discussing public schools here. The multiple articles I referenced never outright stated it, but a few had public schools as tags. Private schools have been open for most of the year anyway, and I assume they are getting vaccinated as well. This is fantastic news. I know So Cal had the March push. They closed off some giant parking structures in LA and Orange County. Gov Newsom flew down for it, sports figures showed up and hundreds of teachers and school staff got vaccinated in about two days. Three days later we received an email that our kids would be back in school in two weeks. It was amazing. Those poor teachers have enough to deal with trying to sort out the whole blended learning model, they shouldn’t have to worry about getting sick too.
As for the remaining 20%, I hope that number narrows this month. It could represent anti-vaxx teachers. I understand some staff have medical reasons why they can’t get the vaccine, that’s what the herd immunity is for. But 80% is a great start.
The article also mentioned that the CDC said it’s safe for kids to be positioned three feet apart instead of six, which means more kids per classroom. It also means we, as parents, can be less concerned about the fact that the kids have trouble adhering to social distancing outside the classrooms.
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