Texas teachers, child care workers eligible for COVID-19 vaccine— Valley leaders respond
The Texas Department of State Health Services announced the expansion of the pool of people eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccine to include school teachers and child care workers, on Wednesday.
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Hidalgo County:
In a news release Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortes said after 10 weeks of successfully vaccinating healthcare workers and the elderly, the county will now be targeting educators.
"This is welcome news as we move forward to begin to safely return to in-school instruction for children.”
In a letter to Hidalgo County officials, Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt said that more than six million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed in Texas.
According to the news release, there is not an immediate expectation that the county will be receiving more doses of vaccine until manufacturing abilities continue to ramp up.
Cameron County:
In a news release Cameron County said it's working with school districts and charter schools to start vaccinating teachers.
"Teachers not being identified as a priority group has been a concern of ours and we're glad to have received updated guidance from the State of Texas today," Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr said in a news release. "We believe that vaccinating our teachers means we are one step closer in providing that safeguard not only in the classroom setting but also at home."
In the upcoming days Cameron County Public Health will allocate Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to the following school districts:
Rio Hondo Independent School District
Santa Maria Independent School District
Santa Rosa Independent School District
La Feria Independent School District
South Texas Independent School District
Port Isabel Independent School District
Brownsville Independent School District
Los Fresnos Consolidated Independent School Districts
Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District
San Benito Consolidated Independent School District
Marine Military Academy
Jubilee Academies
Harmony Schools
IDEA Public Schools