India Post News Service
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA: Officials from the County of Santa Clara and Santa Clara County Office of Education announced today that, since the expansion of COVID-19 vaccine eligibility to the education and childcare sector on February 28, all teachers and other school employees working in K-12 public schools in Santa Clara County have been offered the opportunity to get a COVID-19 vaccine. This was made possible through robust outreach efforts conducted by the County Office of Education and school officials, including a targeted vaccination site for the K-12 workforce at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. The site is a collaboration between Santa Clara County Fire, Santa Clara County EMS, the Santa Clara County Office of Education, and city fire and EMS agencies.
In addition to the dedicated vaccination site, the County Office of Education has worked with other vaccine providers and offered scheduling support with the intent that everyone in K-12 sector could have access to inoculation. The outreach efforts were particularly focused on staff from schools in areas most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The County Office of Education is grateful to all of our partners for ensuring efficient and equitable access to vaccination for all of our educators and school staff,” said Mary Ann Dewan, County Superintendent of Schools. “We will continue to partner with the County and schools to ensure that our community of educators and school employees have access to the vaccines, with a particular focus on areas of the county that we know have been hardest hit by the pandemic.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez said that the progress in school staff vaccinations is encouraging.
“The County is committed to getting vaccinations into the arms of teachers and school staff, and we saw so many eager educators come through our clinics,” said Chavez. “This is welcome step, and we will not stop until our entire community has gotten access to the vaccine.”
Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg said the teachers serve as an example for parents and the rest of the community regarding the importance of getting vaccinated.
“This pandemic has taken its toll, but there have been silver linings that warrant mention, such as the way in which we have all come together to keep each other safe, and because of that collective sacrifice, we are nearing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel,” said Ellenberg. “But there’s still work to be done by each and every one of us; getting vaccinated when it’s your turn is key.”
Dr. Sara Cody, County Health Officer and Director of Public Health, emphasized that schools can and should return to in-person instruction as quickly as possible and follow guidance from public health officials. “Educators and parents can feel confident returning to in-person instruction now, and we hope they will do so as soon as possible,” said Dr. Cody. “Schools have safely reopened for in-person instruction locally and across the country. Especially now that teachers and staff have been offered vaccine, we urge all schools in the county to resume in-person instruction.”
Anyone working in the education or childcare sector who has not yet scheduled a vaccination appointment should reach out to their employer for more information about how to schedule an appointment. Visit the County’s COVID-19 vaccine website, sccfreevax.org, for the latest updates on vaccine eligibility and distribution.
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