Sacramento Teachers And School Staff Can Start Scheduling COVID-19 Vaccinations Next Week, County Says
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Teachers and school staff who work in Sacramento County can soon start getting their COVID-19 vaccination, officials say.
Vaccination efforts for educators will start on Tuesday, Feb. 16, county officials say.
Public health officials noted that the distribution of the vaccine is still dependent on the availability of doses - a point of frustration as the California vaccination rollout has progressed slower than other states.
"While the effort will be slow, every person that gets vaccinated is a step in the right direction," said Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye in a statement.
Sacramento County's teacher vaccination push comes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidance on Friday about how schools can safely reopen for in-person learning.
Still, teachers unions have already started pushing back against plans to rush into reopening schools.
The Sacramento City Teachers Association released a framework on Thursday of efforts they want to see happen before students are brought back into the classroom. At the top of the list was all staff having the opportunity to be vaccinated.
Friday's vaccination eligibility announcement means that educators employed in Sacramento County could soon start scheduling appointments. The following workers are now eligible: all staff in preschool, elementary, middle and high schools; all formal and informal childcare workers; school bus drivers, monitors, crossing guards; and all educational support staff.
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The county says they will be providing appointment portals directly to school districts so staff can start scheduling their shots.
Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jorge Aguilar and Christina Pritchett, district board president, applauded the news.
"After nearly a year of distance learning, we cannot wait to welcome all our students back to their school sites where we can better address their academic, social, and emotional learning needs," Aguilar said. "I encourage all Sac City Unified educators to schedule their vaccination appointment as soon as possible once they become available."
Pritchett added, "We have always prioritized the health and safety of Sac City Unified staff and students while we work to return to in-person as quickly as possible. Sac City Unified is working closely with Sacramento County Public Health to host vaccination clinics for our district educators and staff. We can't wait to welcome our students and all staff back to their classrooms and school sites."
