PAWTUCKET – Rhode Island will open vaccination against COVID-19 to all public and private school teachers and employees, as well as child care employees, with the goal of getting everyone at least one shot by the end of March.
Gov. Daniel J. McKee announced the initiative Tuesday, at a community vaccination site in Pawtucket, at St. Anthony’s Parish Center, calling education of children an essential priority.
Over the next three weeks, using a combination of community-based clinics operated by the cities and towns, and clinics in Providence operated by Lifespan Corp., approximately 18,500 people will get appointments. Clinics could begin as soon as this weekend.
The plan will not disrupt the timeline set by the R.I. Department of Health for additional groups waiting for their vaccines, including people age 16 and older who have underlying health conditions that put them at risk for severe COVID-19, and people age 60 to 64, according to R.I. Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.
The initiative, McKee said, will mean that Rhode Island hits the mark set by new President Joe Biden, who said last week he wanted all teachers to be vaccinated this month.
“Today is a milestone for Rhode Island in the fight against COVID-19,” McKee said. Vaccinating teachers, he said, is essential for the state to reopen its economy.
He bristled when reporters asked if the initiative would delay distribution of vaccine to additional groups.
“Teachers are a priority,” McKee said. “End of story there. People in Rhode Island will fully understand what we’re doing there.”
Alexander-Scott explained that the state does not expect to lose momentum in reaching other groups scheduled to begin vaccinations in March, notably people with underlying health conditions, because the state has access to vaccine that was not used by congregate care settings, and which can be used now by the state for other groups.
The state is now vaccinating anyone age 65 and older.
She said 14,040 doses were made available from that. She described the original amount set aside for the nursing homes and congregate care settings as an over-allocation.
“Rhode Island’s response rate was good, but we had a lot of unallocated vaccine that we can now distribute,” she said.
Although many Rhode Island schools remained in-session, none were fully opened because of social distancing requirements. Many parents, particularly women, have had to leave jobs to care for children who are attending school virtually.
McKee said 30 towns and cities will participate directly in the program, hosting either community or regional clinics for the teachers and school staff.
In Providence, the teachers and school staff will be vaccinated at clinics operated by Lifespan, which will host two clinics, twice weekly, for the next three weeks, according to Angelica Infante Green, the state’s commissioner of education.
The educator vaccination program announced by McKee is separate from the vaccinations available to teachers and other educators through retail pharmacies, including CVS Pharmacy and Walgreen’s. Those companies will continue to vaccinate teachers, as well.
Through the state program, teachers and school employees should not contact the cities and towns, Alexander-Scott said. The communities will all contact people to schedule appointments. Under the state program, educators will be vaccinated in the communities where they work, not where they live.
The eligible employees include, for schools, anyone who comes into contact with students, including teachers, paraprofessionals, administrators, janitors, bus drivers, aides and other employees. For child care providers, the centers must be licensed.
The program applies to private as well as public schools and centers. It does not include higher education or teachers of adult students.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
