2,500 Westmoreland teachers, school-related employees to get coronavirus vaccine

Nearly 2,500 Westmoreland County teachers and other school employees will get coronavirus vaccinations starting this weekend.

Registration emails should be sent shortly to those whose identities and employment were verified by schools, said Jason Conway, executive director of the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. Clinics will be held over several days.

“It has been an absolute pleasure working with our school entities … because everyone’s heart and drive is in the right place,” Conway said.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced March 3 that educators and school staff will receive priority for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in an effort to get children back in schools full time by the end of the month. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the first single-dose shot to receive emergency authorization. Wolf estimated there are about 200,000 eligible educators and school staff across the state. That number did not account for those who already are vaccinated or anyone who doesn’t want it.

The task of preparing for vaccination clinics was handed to the state’s 29 intermediate units, which work with schools and districts in their regions.

It’s been a whirlwind for Conway, who said discussions with state officials and other Pennsylvania intermediate units have been ongoing since Feb. 28.

“I know intermediate units couldn’t be happier to provide this service,” he said.

Employees at the Hempfield-based agency got to work quickly on two facets — preparing for how the clinics will operate and gathering information about those who will receive the vaccine. Every school staff member or contract employee associated with a school was asked to complete a state survey to identify those who have already been vaccinated and others who don’t want the vaccine, along with those who do.

Some teachers were vaccinated during clinics held in the last few months by community pharmacies. Others qualified individually under the first phase of the state’s vaccination plan, which prioritizes immunizations for those 65 and older and others with certain medical conditions, along with health care workers.

Staff members and contracted employees, such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers, at public, private, charter, religious-based and career and technology schools responded to the survey. Conway said the responses were received by the intermediate unit Friday. The information about those requesting a vaccine was sent to each school entity on Saturday to verify their employment.

“I believe some of us did pull all-nighters … to get that done,” he said.

The verified information for 2,372 staffers was sent to the state Monday. Norwin Superintendent Jeff Taylor said 316 of his district’s teachers will be among them.

“Everyone who requested a vaccine and were able to be verified by the school entity will be getting a vaccine,” Conway said. “We are blessed with this opportunity.”

There were instances in which officials couldn’t approve a person’s request, either because an email address was entered wrong or an association with a school entity wasn’t identified. Those who didn’t make the cut this time will get a second chance later this month during a second wave of requests, he said.

In Westmoreland County, about 25,000 people are fully immunized against the virus and 36,000 more have gotten at least one dose of the two-shot vaccines approved for emergency use, according to state health department statistics. Conway acknowledged there are some who qualify for the vaccine and haven’t been able to get appointments yet, while applauding the county commissioners’ efforts to get more doses directed locally from the state.

School districts, students and parents around the state have grappled with juggling in-person and virtual learning days for much of the school year. Coronavirus cases can prompt the short-notice closure of schools. Conway said he hopes staff immunizations can lessen the burden on parents of young children by allowing districts to reopen to regular in-person instruction.

“It’s an important piece of the puzzle to get our economy back rolling again on full cylinders,” he said.