Spreading vaccines presents challenges to reopening schools

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OHIO – It was one thing to know that school staff are next line for vaccines.

But returning to school is another situation.

What you need to know

  • Around 1,800 local workers will be vaccinated, but it is unclear if they will have enough people to reopen.

  • A shortage of vaccines could push Akron Public Schools past their reopening window in March

  • Superintendent David James looks forward to the school being back open and children getting the help they need

Now that the COVID-19 vaccine is on the way, it is up to Akron Public Schools to safely reopen. For Superintendent David James, the current concern is, “A lot of it is going to be based on whether the health department gets enough doses. At least this is the first vaccine, and how it will be done. ”

To date, around 1,800 workers in the area have said they will be vaccinated, but if they don’t know if they will have the right number of workers who are getting the vaccine that could be the area. leave short and open opening. Even if they have enough, James said he understands that parents may not want their children in school yet.

“We believe that there will be a certain number of our parents who will want their children to continue to learn online, and we need to be able to do that as well as a specific section of the school. our school population. ”

So far, James said they have set up a soft window through March 22 to open with so many features playing with the vaccine.

“So we are really reaching out to other partners to see if they could deliver the vaccine by partnering with our local health department,” said James. .

But the area alone is not here. Just as the Cuyahoga Department of Health said it is the first group to be vaccinated. Chief Executive Eric Gordon issued this statement to parents and the community earlier in the week:

“… The move to K-12 staff will depend on when the city’s health department has completed first responder vaccinations, health care providers and nursing home residents.”

For areas like Akron Public Schools, vaccination of staff is not related to bringing children to school and feeding them using COVID guidelines – two of their biggest problems. Despite the work ahead and the uncertainty, James said he feels good about the side of getting the vaccine and bringing children back to school soon. .

James said they may have to go all summer to vaccinate workers if distribution into the 1B group is slow or insufficient.

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