Yes, I want to get inoculation, say 17,000 city school staffers

Roughly 17,000 city educators said they were interested in getting a COVID-19 vaccine through the teachers union in the first day of signups, union officials said Tuesday.

The union vaccine distribution, operated in partnership with NYU Langone and EmblemHealth, is separate from a city-administered inoculation program that’s also open to teachers.

Union officials say only 7,000 vaccine doses are immediately available, and teachers working in-person will get first priority. Educators with their own transportation may also get priority for appointments.

Though officials haven’t given an exact number of educators who’ve signed up for the vaccine through the city program, Mayor de Blasio said Tuesday “we’re seeing a lot of interest in the vaccine” from educators and school staff.

Education Department officials have urged staffers working in-person to sign up for the first available slots, and remote staffers were told to await further guidance. But health officials currently aren’t enforcing the distinction.

Officials also didn’t say how many educators need to get vaccinated in order to expand in-person learning.

“We are, of course, watching very carefully how many of our educators and school staff are getting vaccinated,” de Blasio said. “Do I think we’re going to be able to do big things during this school year, bring back a lot of students? I absolutely do. I’m really encouraged, but I need that supply of vaccine and I need people to want to get vaccinated.”