With the return to in-person school rotations, the North Carolina Association of Educators has stated that vaccinating teachers is beyond critical for the safety of everyone in the school building. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that educators and support staff will be eligible for vaccination starting February 24th. This group consists of child-care workers for all grades, administrators, principals, and other staff members such as janitors, bus drivers, and cafeteria workers. 

   240,000 doses should be available for vaccinations starting February 24, but Wake County is supposed to receive 20,000 new doses this week. Almost 5,000 of these doses were available at a temporary drive-thru vaccination site at the PNC Arena. The PNC Arena vaccinations took place by appointment only on February 11 and 13. Wake County thought this would be a good idea in response to the success of a mass vaccination event in the Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

   North Carolina’s top public health official, Dr. Mandy Cohen, said the next two weeks are putting residents over age 65 in priority, especially those on the waiting list, before putting educators in front of the higher-risk older adults. This means that people in North Carolina could find competition between teachers and elderly residents in areas where vaccinations are limited and/or are unable to make scheduled appointments. 

   In Washington D.C., teachers who teach at private schools are now able to be vaccinated in priority. Licensed care providers and teachers for charter and independent schools have an appointment every Monday for many weeks to follow in D.C. From the hopes of Wake County officials, the NCAE, and President Biden, vaccinations for teachers are in the near future, making schools as safe as possible again.