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Educators react to being added for COVID-19 vaccinations
FOX 26 Reporter Tiffany Justice spoke with some educators following the announcement that they will be added to get COVID-19 vaccines.
HOUSTON - Educators now speaking to FOX 26 about now being prioritized as front-line worker to receive a vaccine.
Jennifer LeBlanc, who works within Aldine ISD, tells FOX 26 she is pleased with the announcement, but believes it should have happened sooner, putting much of the blame on Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
"They should have had it at the beginning, as soon as health care workers were taken care of, we should have been on there," said LeBlanc.
Zeph Capo, the President of the Texas AFT, telling FOX 26 there is much work to do.
"We are thankful that the Texas Department of Health is now recognizing the need to prioritizing all of our educators," said Capo.
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The change comes as a directed by the Biden administration. And on Wednesday, the Department of State Health Services released that all Texas school employees and child-care workers now are eligible.
Capo tells us with only barely 7% of the education system vaccinated, there is much work to do.
He is also concerned about availability of the vaccines. The plan is to partner with large pharmaceutical companies like CVS.
The company telling FOX 26 Wednesday, they have aligned with updated Federal Retail Pharmacy Program Guidelines and are making appointments available.
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The developments come a day after Governor Abbott announced the mask mandate will expire on March 10.
On Wednesday, the Texas Education Agency, also releasing that current practices on masks may continue unchanged. Leaving the decision up to local boards.
Houston ISD has posted on their website that the district will continue to require all students, staff, and visitors to wear masks on district property and at district events.