Teachers awaiting their turn for COVID-19 vaccinations

School districts in Washington and Greene counties are working to vaccinate their teachers and other school staff, but it’s unclear when enough COVID-19 doses will be available.
COVID-19 vaccines are limited throughout the country, and there isn’t enough to go around right now.
“We’re really playing a waiting game at this point,” said Carmichaels School District Superintendent Fred Morecraft.
Currently, Pennsylvania is in phase 1A of vaccination; teachers are included in the 1B phase.
Washington School District teachers and staff who qualify for phase 1A – which earlier this month expanded to include people over the age of 65 and people 16 to 65 years old with underlying health conditions – will receive the Moderna vaccine on Friday at Washington Park Elementary School and Washington High School.
School nurse Cheryl Blosl said Curtis Pharmacy, which is running the district’s vaccine clinic, will return when Phase 1B begins.
“I think we’re very fortunate. I think it’s wonderful. One of the biggest things with the teachers is it will help make them feel safe,” said Blosl. “We don’t know what the children are doing at home. Some families are following (guidelines), some families aren’t following them.”
Trinity Area School District will provide the vaccine next week for teachers and personnel eligible for Phase 1A.
Music teacher Lisa Judkins, president of the Trinity Area Education Association, is excited teachers and support staff will have the chance to get the vaccine.
“I don’t know a single teacher who doesn’t want to be in the classroom. This has been difficult. But they’re scared, too,” she said. “You’re in a closed space with a large amount of students, and you know they’re doing outside activities, seeing multiple people, doing dance and sports, and you’re not sure if they’re adhering to protocols. It’s concerning, especially for staff that have family members who are older, or who have underlying conditions themselves.”
In several school districts in Washington and Greene counties, school officials have surveyed their staff and put together lists of who would like the vaccine once it becomes available.
Fort Cherry School District, which returned to in-person learning five days a week on Jan. 19, is working with Curtis Pharmacy on plans to administer the vaccines when they’re available.
“We are looking forward to gaining the COVID-19 vaccination option for any employee interested as soon as possible,” said Fort Cherry Superintendent Jill Jacob. “We are holistically working to keep our in-person programming in place while striving to keep our students, employees, and communities healthy and well.”
In Central Greene, Superintendent Kevin Monaghan said the district has been in contact with Cornerstone Care to potentially begin vaccinating staff.
“We’re waiting on information regarding when they’ll be available to our staff,” he said.
Monaghan said Cornerstone provided forms for interested staff to fill out before they receive a vaccine.
“We’re waiting to hear back on a date,” he said. “We’re trying to get this in right away.”
West Greene Superintendent Brian Jackson said that while the vaccines aren’t available yet, the district has been in communication with Centerville Clinics and are “exploring other options locally.”
Carmichaels’ Morecraft also mentioned Centerville Clinics or Cornerstone Care as potential vaccine suppliers once the vaccine becomes available to district staff.
He said Carmichaels has also surveyed its staff to see who wants the vaccine, but that there are no definite plans yet.
Washington Health System also will work with schools, day care centers and other groups to vaccinate once Phase 1B begins.
Eligible employees at Intermediate Unit 1, which provides educational support to students in school districts in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties, received the vaccine this week.
“I feel relieved,” said Karol Snead, an IU1 social worker who works at Chartiers-Houston School District. “I want to be with the kids. I think it’s important. But I also feel like there is an invisible threat we’re facing, and now I feel protected.”
Staff writer Katie Anderson contributed to this story.