COVID-19 In Pittsburgh: Mayor Peduto Reaffirms Belief Teachers Should Be Prioritized In Vaccine Process

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is standing by his recent statements that teachers need to be prioritized in Pennsylvania’s vaccination process.

As of right now, teachers are in the Commonwealth’s “1B” category.

Educators in Pittsburgh Public Schools are pushing back against the return to in-person learning until they are all vaccinated.

Peduto says the city will pay to vaccinate teachers and is calling on the state to provide the doses.

“There are nearly 30 states that have created the priority for teachers,” Peduto said. “Pennsylvania is not one of them. And teachers throughout the state, I believe should be treated in that first response the way that emergency workers and those that deal with the public are.”

According to Peduto, the city would plan to work with health networks for mass vaccination and could use places such as rec and senior centers as vaccination centers.

He said the city would be ready to go in 72 hours if it has the supply.