“Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson have started the rollout of their vaccinations, and teachers have started to get them in attempts for schools to start reopening.”
—MILO TREJO, 8TH GRADE
Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson and Johnson have started the rollout of their vaccinations, and teachers have started to get them in attempts for schools to start reopening.
On February 18th teachers in California became eligible for the vaccine, but it wasn’t until March 8th that all teachers nationwide became eligible.
Teachers in Alameda County were some of the first in the country. Among these teachers is Amelia Whitcomb who teaches middle and high school fiction in the Literary Arts Department at OSA. According to Whitcomb “Getting the vaccine has been incredibly easy” and “[an] almost joyful experience.”
Whitcomb also stated that OSA handled the vaccination process very well and was efficient with providing her access codes, and spreading information.
Contrary to popular belief “The vaccine was pretty painless,” she said. Her “arm was a bit sore for a day or two,” but that was it. While Whitcomb was very grateful she got the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine, she has some conflicted feelings about teachers in general getting it. “I’m a bit wary of what the acceleration of the schedule for vaccinating teachers means in terms of our approach to the pandemic, as well as concern for the segments of our population who are not yet eligible for vaccinations who probably should be.”
She also worries that this will “accelerate pressure to return to in-person teaching before it is safe for everyone to do so.”
All in all it’s great that teachers finally have the opportunity to get the vaccine, but hopefully it won’t rush the reopening of schools.
On February 18th teachers in California became eligible for the vaccine, but it wasn’t until March 8th that all teachers nationwide became eligible.
Teachers in Alameda County were some of the first in the country. Among these teachers is Amelia Whitcomb who teaches middle and high school fiction in the Literary Arts Department at OSA. According to Whitcomb “Getting the vaccine has been incredibly easy” and “[an] almost joyful experience.”
Whitcomb also stated that OSA handled the vaccination process very well and was efficient with providing her access codes, and spreading information.
Contrary to popular belief “The vaccine was pretty painless,” she said. Her “arm was a bit sore for a day or two,” but that was it. While Whitcomb was very grateful she got the opportunity to get the COVID vaccine, she has some conflicted feelings about teachers in general getting it. “I’m a bit wary of what the acceleration of the schedule for vaccinating teachers means in terms of our approach to the pandemic, as well as concern for the segments of our population who are not yet eligible for vaccinations who probably should be.”
She also worries that this will “accelerate pressure to return to in-person teaching before it is safe for everyone to do so.”
All in all it’s great that teachers finally have the opportunity to get the vaccine, but hopefully it won’t rush the reopening of schools.
