Following a directive last week from President Joe Biden’s administration, Massachusetts officially made all K-12 teachers and other school officials eligible to apply for the COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.
According to the state’s website, the group includes anyone employed full-time or part-time at a public or private K-12 school, Head Start program or daycare provider.
The large group – estimated at around 400,000 residents – also includes school volunteers and contractors.
However, the new eligible group does not include higher education officials or private nannies and nannies, who remain in Phase 3 of the implementation if they do not qualify for a vaccine.
Eligible individuals can make appointments at any of the state’s vaccination sites, and authorities are planning four days only for educators at the state’s mass vaccination sites starting this month.
Here is the list of who can – and can’t – sign up at the moment:
Now eligible:
- Educators
- Paraprofessionals / education support professionals
- Childcare Educators
- Family Day Care Assistants
- Childcare Program Directors
- Nursery Directors
- District and school administrators
- Administrative and administrative staff
- Bus or van drivers
- Custody staff
- Food service team
- After School Program Team
- Teachers, students, interns, teaching assistants and assistants
- School security officers
The group also includes “people working full-time, part-time or volunteering at school, or who are hired by another organization to provide education or support at a school or daycare center (for example, early intervention providers, student mentors) , tutors, arts programs, individuals responsible for educator observations or training, etc.). ”
Not yet eligible:
- Higher education workers, including administrators, teachers and non-teachers
- Nannies, nannies and private nannies
- Informal friend, family and neighborly care
- Camp counselors
- Certified, licensed or retired educators who are not currently employed as educators
- Elementary and Secondary Education Department staff, unless the individual is serving as an educator (for example, educators at the Pappas Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital)
- Department of Education and Child Care staff, unless the individual is hired as a licensor or investigator who must conduct on-site visits and inspections.
Receive email alerts from Boston.com:
Subscribe and receive news and updates about coronavirus, from our newsroom to your inbox.