Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Teachers and cops are next in line for shot
But only those 50 and older
Classroom teachers, firefighters and police officers age 50 and older will be among the next round of people eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that while seniors remain the priority, teachers and first responders will be the next groups eligible at four vaccination sites planned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The announcement comes as teachers across the state clamor for protection from the coronavirus. They have resisted returning to school buildings — despite pressure from the state — until they feel safe.
Many parents also have balked at sending their children back until more teachers
are vaccinated.
Whether the expanded criteria will move large numbers to return is debatable, although both teachers and administrators lauded the move.
Teachers, if younger than 65, will not be eligible at other vaccination sites, including pharmacies at Publix, Walmart and CVS. And FEMA will operate only four sites in Florida, including one in Miami.
About 18,000 teachers in South Florida fall between ages 50 and 64, and they would not be eligible anywhere in South Florida except FEMA’s site in Miami.
DeSantis did not state a date for the change, but he suggested it could happen soon. “Our goal is to do that as more vaccine becomes available,” he said.
The FEMA sites could open as early as next week, each dispensing 2,000 doses per week. They will be at Miami Dade Community College North Campus, at Valencia College West Campus in Orlando, at Tampa Greyhound Track and at Gateway Mall in Jacksonville.
A number of public officials across the state have implored the governor to extend the vaccines to younger age groups. Among them was Broward County Mayor Steve Geller, who
wrote DeSantis last week asking that people 55 and older, all teachers and more first responders have access to Florida’s next vaccine rollout.
The Broward teacher’s union lauded the decision to protect teachers so they can get back into the classroom.
“It was a great move,” said Anna Fusco, the teacher’s union president. “They are afraid to be back without a vaccine.”
Broward has about 5,040 teachers age 50 to 64 who would qualify. Miami-Dade has 8,478 in that age group and Palm Beach County 4,514.
“We know there are teachers out there that still have health issues and serious concerns that we continue to try to address, and there’s real fears out there,” said Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie said. “This should go a long
way to addressing a significant portion of that population who are still having concerns and unease about returning back for face-toface, in-person instruction for our classrooms.”
Runcie added, though, that the vaccine is not necessary to make schools safe, provided schools are taking precautions.
Broward school officials hope a vaccine for teachers could persuade more
parents to send their kids back to school. Runcie said about 40% of students are now at school, with the rest learning at home.
“The vaccine is absolutely key to addressing fears and concerns on the parent/ guardian side as well as the teacher side,” Runcie said. “If we’re able to do that, the beneficiaries of that will be our students, who are caught in the middle of this far too often.”
Parents had mixed feelings.
Plantation parent Nathalie Lynch-Walsh said the vaccine could persuade her to send her kids back to school.
“I’m not worried about my kids getting sick. I’m more worried about them killing their teachers,” Lynch-Walsh said.
But Cooper City parent Monique Perez said vaccinating older teachers isn’t enough for her to send her five children back.
“There are teachers under 50 who have auto-immune conditions,” she said. “In my case, I’m not just worried about my kids bringing [COVID-19] home to me. My kids have health issues also.”
She said she’ll likely wait until herd immunity is achieved before she’s comfortable sending her kids back to school.
Susie Siegel, of Boca Raton, has two children — a kindergartener and a first grader — who have been in school since August. Although she’s pleased that teachers could get their turn soon, she doesn’t think the plan goes far enough.
”I think any teacher should be vaccinated at the exact same time, in my opinion. I know 50 is more vulnerable than someone who is 30, but they’re all exposed at the same level. They are all with children every single day. I get it, 50 is more at risk than 30, but all educators should fall under the same category.”