Pennsylvania teachers will get the COVID-19 vaccine sooner than expected.Gov. Tom Wolf and members of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine task force confirmed the development Tuesday afternoon. An official announcement is expected Wednesday.The decision is an effort to ensure teachers and students can be in classrooms full-time for the remainder of the school year and follows the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.“We have an unusual opportunity with that because it’s a one-dose vaccine,” Wolf said. “There’s some really important front-line workers who I think – and I think the task force believes on a bipartisan basis – should be included in that.”Teachers have been in the second tier of the state’s vaccine rollout, but the task force met Sunday and voted in favor of vaccinating teachers sooner.“We thought this would have the most significant impact on our community,” said Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster County), who is a member of the task force.Aument said the state’s initial allotment of 94,000 doses of the J&J vaccine, also known as the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, will be designated for teachers.Teachers will be able to sign up and receive the shot in locations that are separate from where people in Phase 1A are getting vaccinated.“Our seniors and folks in 1A are going to continue to be prioritized appropriately for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are being distributed through our provider network. Those doses that the state is receiving and allocating across the commonwealth, that continues to increase,” Aument said.Previous storyPennsylvania teachers will soon be moving into Phase 1A of the vaccine plan, according to a member of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine task force.In an email to House Republicans, Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington County) said, “Within the next couple of days, the Governor will announce that teachers (pre-k – 12, both public and private) will move into 1A.”During a news conference Tuesday morning, a Department of Health senior advisor would not confirm the move.O’Neal wrote that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard will run clinics for teachers this month.According to O’Neal, the state Department of Education will also be issuing instructional guidance for schools that aligns more closely with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Pennsylvania teachers will get the COVID-19 vaccine sooner than expected.
Gov. Tom Wolf and members of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine task force confirmed the development Tuesday afternoon. An official announcement is expected Wednesday.
The decision is an effort to ensure teachers and students can be in classrooms full-time for the remainder of the school year and follows the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
“We have an unusual opportunity with that because it’s a one-dose vaccine,” Wolf said. “There’s some really important front-line workers who I think – and I think the task force believes on a bipartisan basis – should be included in that.”
Teachers have been in the second tier of the state’s vaccine rollout, but the task force met Sunday and voted in favor of vaccinating teachers sooner.
“We thought this would have the most significant impact on our community,” said Sen. Ryan Aument (R-Lancaster County), who is a member of the task force.
Aument said the state’s initial allotment of 94,000 doses of the J&J vaccine, also known as the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, will be designated for teachers.
Teachers will be able to sign up and receive the shot in locations that are separate from where people in Phase 1A are getting vaccinated.
“Our seniors and folks in 1A are going to continue to be prioritized appropriately for the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are being distributed through our provider network. Those doses that the state is receiving and allocating across the commonwealth, that continues to increase,” Aument said.
Previous story
Pennsylvania teachers will soon be moving into Phase 1A of the vaccine plan, according to a member of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine task force.
In an email to House Republicans, Rep. Tim O’Neal (R-Washington County) said, “Within the next couple of days, the Governor will announce that teachers (pre-k – 12, both public and private) will move into 1A.”
During a news conference Tuesday morning, a Department of Health senior advisor would not confirm the move.
O’Neal wrote that the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard will run clinics for teachers this month.
According to O’Neal, the state Department of Education will also be issuing instructional guidance for schools that aligns more closely with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.