What we know about PA's plan to prioritize teachers for one-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine

State health officials say they are ready to move forward with the rollout of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week — and educators will be first in line.

As part of the priority to safely and quickly get more students back in the classroom, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Wednesday that the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID-19 vaccine will first go to preK-12 teachers, administrators, bus drivers, and other school support staff.

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, and the departments of Education and Health are partnering with the Pennsylvania National Guard to administer the vaccine to educators, which is separate from the ongoing Phase 1A vaccine rollout, Wolf said. The governor signed a bill on Wednesday allowing the Pennsylvania National Guard to assist the state Department of Health in administering COVID-19 vaccinations.

Pennsylvania is expected to receive 94,5500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine this week, and teachers could start being vaccinated as early as March 10, Wolf said.

Those working with elementary students, students with disabilities and English language learners will be prioritized, but all preK-12 schools in Pennsylvania will be allocated doses based on numbers of prioritized staff, which may also include bus drivers and support staff.

Johnson & Johnson vaccine:Doylestown's Alex Gorsky shares J&J's COVID vaccine journey

COVID in PA:Mental health, testing mandates top concerns of PA educators as COVID continues

"This new single-dose vaccine adds another layer of support to get students and teachers back in the classroom," Wolf said. “Teachers and staff who work with our children will be vaccinated, and I commend the task force and all of our partners for their tremendous commitment to their schools and communities.”

Now that teachers are being vaccinated, students could return to the classrooms much sooner. For months, schools have been conducting remote learning or been operating on a hybrid schedule to limit the number of students in the building.

"This will help us accelerate learning and begin to recover what has been a loss in terms of learning," Pennsylvania Education Secretary Noe Ortega said Wednesday morning, during a state Senate hearing on COVID's impact on education.

Educators across the state have been clamoring for access to the vaccine for nearly two months, since the state started expanding access beyond front-line health care workers and long-term care center residents.

Pennsylvania’s vaccine allocation plan, which was developed by a committee of health care professionals, has always included teachers in Phase 1B. What wasn't clear, though, is who all would be included in Phase 1A or how long it would last.

PA vaccine:Looking for a COVID-19 vaccination? Here are some helpful resources

Wolf's announcement comes after President Joe Biden called on all states to prioritize teachers late Tuesday. In a tweet, Biden said he wants "every educator, school staff member, and child-care worker to receive at least one shot by the end of this month."

Many of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states have started vaccinating teachers and as groups nationally have united around the idea of vaccinating teachers and getting schools back to a certain degree of "normal."

How will the vaccine be administered to school staff?

The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and the departments of Education and Health are partnering with the 28 Intermediate Units (IUs) to establish vaccine sites.

The Pennsylvania National Guard and AMI Expeditionary Healthcare, a health organization contracted by DOH, will administer the vaccine.

There will be at least one vaccination site per IU region. School staff will be directed to the vaccination site in the region within which their school is located.

How can teachers schedule a vaccine?

Each school entity will have a designated block of time as determined by the IU during which their employees and contracted staff will be able to select appointment slots, according to the governor's office.

School staff will receive additional information about the registration and scheduling process directly from their employer or IU.

When will teachers get vaccinated?

Each vaccination site is expected to begin operations between March 10 and 13.

Operational hours will generally be between 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

What teachers and staff will receive the vaccine first?

According to the governor's office, IUs will work with pre-K to 12 school entities to identify staff who are eligible and interested in receiving the vaccine. The following individuals will be given the first opportunity to register:

• Pre-K-12 teachers of students with disabilities and English learners and related in-classroom support staff
• Elementary teachers and related in-classroom support staff, beginning with the youngest students
• Bus drivers/transporters, and support staff and contracted service providers who have direct contact with elementary students; and
• Other priority school staff who have regular, sustained in-person contact with students during the school day.

Also of interest: