COVID-19 In Pennsylvania: Gov. Tom Wolf Set To Announce Plan Prioritizing Teachers For Vaccines
HARRISBURG (KDKA) - Gov. Tom Wolf is set to announce a plan Wednesday to vaccinate Pennsylvania's teachers and get them back in the classroom as soon as possible.
For weeks, we've been reporting on how frustrated people are in their efforts to get the vaccine, but even folks still waiting say they're happy to let the teachers go first.
Don Jaworski from Carrick is 72 years old with COPD and a heart condition, but try as he might, he can't get the COVID-19 vaccine.
"I called three places and they put you on a list and nobody ever gives you a vaccine," he says.
It's somewhat surprising then that Jaworski and others in his situation aren't bothered by a plan to vaccinate teachers — even those younger and healthier than they.
"No, I'm not against the teachers going first. I don't want to see them give it to the kids or the kids give it to them," he says.
Wolf says a formal announcement is coming Wednesday, "but as you know, it's already been leaked out."
What leaked out is a plan to use the state's allocation of 94,000 doses of the newly-approved, one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine to inoculate teachers at mass clinics and get them back in the classroom in short order. This would entail moving teachers and school bus drivers up to the 1A priority group with other frontline workers.
Folks KDKA's Andy Sheehan spoke with Tuesday think it's a good plan with stipulations.
"I think if the kids are going to be in school, that's a wise thing to do, but if they're going to continue to learn from home, I don't see why it's a priority to make that happen," said Ray Matelan of Whitehall.
According to details that leaked from an email sent by a member of the state coronavirus taskforce, teachers will only receive the vaccine if they commit to returning to the classroom. And that seems to please people who would like to see the schools reopen as soon as possible.
"I have six grandchildren, five of them are school age. They have to be in school, full-time, in-person and until the teachers get the vaccine, I don't see that happening," said Janet Denillo of Brentwood.
Even the governor admitted it might be a little anticlimactic, but he will be announcing this plan to vaccinate teachers.
