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Will getting teachers vaccinated get students back in school full time? It might not be that easy
Jacqueline Rabe Thomas :: CtMirror.org
Waterbury Teachers Karlyn Fitzpatrick and Danielle Byron plan to get vaccinated. Behind them is a flag at half-staff in respect of the 500,000 people in the U.S. who have died from COVID-19.
The state of Connecticut begins the arduous job this week of vaccinating 99,000 teachers and school workers against COVID-19, opening the door for students to return to the classroom but whether and when they will return remain open questions.
About half of the state’s school districts don’t currently offer full-time, in-person learning, so districts will need to be able to first change their learning models. But they will also have to convince wary parents and students that being in school in person every day is safe and that students won’t bring COVID-19 home to parents, especially those who work in front-line jobs or have pre-e
Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary announcing a hotline Thursday dedicated to helping the district’s employees make a vaccine appointment. Teachers and caregivers in Connecticut will be eligible for the vaccine starting on Monday.
“1,600 teachers then we have the paras, then we have the administrators and then we have a custodial staff and then we have all the tutors so it’s about 4,000,” Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary said.
“There’s many options for the teachers,” Maura Esposito, director of the Chesprocott Health District, said.
Esposito says she’s working with three school districts and a private school to coordinate vaccinations.