Educators, others call on Gov. Wolf to prioritize them for COVID-19 vaccine
Pennsylvania education associations on Thursday called on Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration to prioritize providing the COVID-19 vaccine to the state’s educators, support staff, and school administrators.
The letter was signed by the leaders of nine education advocacy group, including the Pennsylvania State Education Association, Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators, Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials, and Pennsylvania Intermediate Units.
The organizations noted that “ensuring that the men and women who teach and serve Pennsylvania’s children receive the vaccine as soon as possible is absolutely essential if we are to reopen our state’s schools for in-person instruction and return to normal operations when the 2021-22 school year begins.”
Under Pennsylvania’s vaccination rollout, education workers education workers fall under Phase 1B. The state currently is vaccinating people in Phase 1A.
The letter to Wolf, along with Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam and Acting Education Secretary Noe Ortega, said vaccinating school employees is the best way to reduce health risks and safely re-open schools.
“Unlike 26 other states, Pennsylvania’s vaccination plan does not prioritize school staff members, even though school staff members and students are in a uniquely dangerous position. For those who are delivering in-person instruction, they are gathered in reasonably large groups every day. For those who are preparing to return to school in person, many are very concerned that the state’s health and safety guidelines, particularly the guidance related to maintaining 6 feet of social distance in school buildings, may be extremely difficult to implement or enforce.
The letter said school staff members are anxious about being in close contact with others for seven hours a day, and know that parents want to get their children back into school for in-person learning.
The vaccine, the letter said, “will offer a new level of safety and confidence for staff members, students, and their families, and help speed the safe reopening of all of Pennsylvania’s schools for in-person instruction.”
The letter comes in advance of the Centers for Disease Control’s expected Friday release of guidelines for safely reopening schools for in-person classes.