Spurred by an increase in vaccine shipments, states and cities are rapidly expanding eligibility for COVID-19 vaccines for teachers, Americans aged 50 and over, and others, while the U.S. is rushing to fight the virus and reopen businesses and schools.
Indiana and Michigan will start vaccinating those 50 and older, while Arizona and Connecticut have opened the line for those who are at least 55 years old. Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are reserving the first doses of Johnson & Johnson’s new unique vaccine for teachers. And in Detroit, factory workers can be vaccinated starting this week, regardless of age.
Giving the vaccine to teachers and other school officials “will help protect our communities,” said Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. “It will relieve our parents and families. It will make our schools go back to teaching our children. “
So far, the vaccination campaign against the outbreak that killed more than half a million Americans has focused mainly on health workers and the elderly.
In the United States, politicians and school administrators have been pushing hard in recent weeks to reopen classrooms to prevent students from being left behind and to allow more parents to get back to work. But the teachers resisted returning without being vaccinated.
The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered all states to make teachers, school staff, bus drivers and day care centers eligible for vaccines. This is a major change for the Biden administration, which controls access to COVID-19 vaccines, but previously allowed states to define their own guidelines.
Jody Mackey, 46, a professor of digital media and high school history in Traverse City, Michigan – where students have been attending the majority in person since September – received her second dose almost two weeks ago, after teachers in her district were assigned as workers essential.
Before that, she kept the classroom windows open and used heaters.
“If you want schools to be successful and safe and you want your teachers to play the game, vaccinate them,” she said. “Putting teachers in a situation where they are scared all the time, where they will want to avoid their children, how good is it for children or teachers?”
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey on Wednesday ordered students and teachers to return to school this month, saying that many teachers have already received their second dose.
“The science is clear: it is time for all children to have the option to go back to school so they can get back on track and we can close the performance gap,” said Ducey in a statement.
The United States has administered more than 80 million vaccines in a vaccination campaign that is catching up, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 20% of the country’s adults, or about 52 million people, received at least one dose and 10% were fully inoculated.
President Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the United States hopes to have enough vaccine by the end of May for all adults – two months ahead of schedule – although it is likely to take longer to administer these vaccines. He also pressured states to give at least one injection to teachers by the end of the month and said the government would supply the doses through its pharmacy program.
In Wisconsin, teachers will have priority when the state receives its first shipment of about 48,000 doses of the J&J vaccine, health officials said. Pennsylvania teachers will also be first in line when 94,000 doses of this formula arrive this week.
Washington Governor Jay Inslee announced this week that educators, school officials and child caregivers can now get vaccines. In Texas, where teachers have been struggling to gain access to vaccines, state officials on Wednesday ordered vaccine providers to begin administering vaccines to school officials.
And in Massachusetts, about 400,000 teachers, day care centers and school staff can apply for vaccines starting March 11, said Governor Charlie Baker, although he warned that it may take time to schedule appointments because supplies remain limited.
Tennessee will open vaccination on Monday for about 1 million people over the age of 16 who have high-risk health conditions and those in families with clinically fragile children.
The rush to vaccinate comes as many states ease restrictions on people and businesses, despite repeated warnings from health officials that the United States is risking another lethal wave. Biden called on the Republican governors of Texas and Mississippi to lift mask rules.
“We are about to fundamentally change the nature of this disease,” said the president on Wednesday. “The last thing we need is for the Neanderthal to think that, in the meantime, it’s okay, take off your mask, forget it. It still matters. “
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves returned to Twitter. “Mississippians don’t need manipulators. As the numbers drop, they can assess their choices and listen to experts, “he said.” I think we should trust Americans, not insult them. “
Although recently confirmed deaths and infections fell from their peak in January, they are still at high levels. The US averages about 2,000 deaths and 66,000 cases per day.
CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky encouraged Americans to “do the right thing”, even if states lifted their restrictions.
Vaccinations are seen as the key to getting people back to work and revitalizing the shaky economy.
“The more people we can get the vaccine safe and effective, the faster we can return to a sense of normalcy,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement on Wednesday announcing that people aged 50 to 64 can start to get vaccinated on March 22.
Cindy Estrada, a vice president at United Auto Workers, said there were illnesses and deaths among factory workers, so Detroit’s decision to offer them injections “is incredibly important.”
“It will give them a little peace of mind,” she said, exposing her arm for a shot.
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Associated Press writers Collin Binkley in Boston; David Eggert in Lansing, Michigan; Ed White in Detroit; John Flesher in Traverse City, Michigan; Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee; Marc Levy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; Terry Tang in Phoenix; Tom Davies in Indianapolis; and Alexandra Jaffe, Nancy Benac and Zeke Miller in Washington contributed.
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