It seemed like teachers would finally be able to safely teach in the classrooms as Delaware County started circulating the COVID-19 vaccine, writes Maddie Hanna and Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Garnet Valley School District Superintendent Marc Bertrando was excited to learn that teachers would get the first vaccination shot in February at clinics set up at four schools, then the second in March.
Now it turns out there aren’t enough doses in the county.
The problem is a combination of an inadequate supply of doses and an expanded list of people eligible for the first round of vaccines—a group that doesn’t include teachers.
It’s created “a double whammy for the education community,” said Jeanne Casner, the Chester County health director, which also serves Delaware County.
Other strategies, like increased testing for staff and students, are being recommended to keep schools safe.
“I no longer think keeping schools closed — if they have a strong safety plan, strong leaders, and strong guidance — is needed,” said Susan Coffin, professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
Read more about the vaccine shortage for teachers in Delaware County at The Philadelphia Inquirer.
