MADISON, Wis.– Teachers don’t have to wait for a COVID-19 vaccine to start teaching their students in person again.
“Schools can be safe as long as you use these five strategies,” said Wisconsin Department of Health Services Deputy Secretary Julie Willems Van Dijk.
Willems Van Dijk refers to doing, keeping your physical distance, good hand hygiene, covering your cough and keeping things clean.
Now, the state can offer even more protection.
“(Vaccines) are a layer on these important mitigation strategies, but they are important,” said Willems Van Dijk. “We want to protect this workforce.”
Educators and childcare professionals are jumping to the front of the line to be vaccinated in group 1B.
“We know that teachers work every day with a population that cannot be vaccinated because of their age,” said Willems Van Dijk.
There are about 225,000 people in Wisconsin, and the state thinks it will take the entire month of March and part of April to overcome them.
Public health Madison and Dane County are asking the state for 14,000 doses to vaccinate teachers at the Alliant Energy Center, but the state will not be able to fulfill the entire request immediately.
“No one is getting all the vaccines they asked for,” said Willems Van Dijk.
It won’t be like this. DHS said the weekly number of doses Wisconsin receives will increase and they hope to help local health departments get vaccines as soon as possible.
“We will make a master plan in the next six weeks, so that everyone knows when they are getting the vaccine for their community and school districts,” said Willems Van Dijk.
DHS recommends that vaccinators ask to see badges or payment receipts to ensure that people are in the eligible professions.
COPYRIGHT 2021 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, TRANSMITTED, RECOMMENDED OR REDISTRIBUTED.