HARPERS FERRY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – Senator Patricia Rucker (R-Jefferson) called on the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources to immediately develop plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to public school teachers as soon as possible. Rucker believes the distribution of this vaccine to West Virginia teachers can help alleviate fears teachers may have with regard to going back to school. Removing this barrier is an important step to ensure that all public schools can open for in-person in January 2021.
“We have shown our commitment to supporting our educators with historic pay raises, fully funding PEIA and historic funding increases to local school systems. Now we must protect that investment by ensuring our educators can feel safe to teach school in-person” said Republican State Senator Patricia Rucker. “The priority distribution of these vaccines should definitely include teachers along with front line health care workers” she said. “We should make sure that those teachers that want them, can receive these vaccinations. This will go a long way to alleviating some of the fears currently expressed by teachers with regard to re-opening our schools. This will go a long way toward answering the prayers of students, parents and grandparents who realize the urgent need to get students back in school” said Rucker.
“We know our teachers want to be in the classroom teaching. We also know that the CDC believes that schools should be open and there are thousands of pediatricians across the country that agree” she said. “We need to make the needs of our teachers a priority” said Rucker.
