Pittsburgh Mayor: Vaccinate Teachers Now

PITTSBURGH, PA — Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto on Monday asked Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf to mandate expedited coronavirus vaccinations for teachers so students and educators can safely resume in-school instruction.

In a letter to the governor, Peduto noted that many students have fallen behind academically while shifting to at-home learning. He cited a need to safely reopen schools while alleviating the concerns of teachers who are apprehensive about returning to classrooms under unsafe conditions.

"Promoting vaccines for teachers would help to speed up the safe return to school, would ensure that all students receive the focused academic support that they need to succeed, and would be aligned with your administration’s commitment to an equitable response to the pandemic," Peduto wrote.

Pennsylvania currently is in Phase 1A of the vaccine program. Those eligible to be vaccinated
include people in long-term care facilities, health care personnel, people over 65 and people aged 16-64 with high-risk medical conditions.

Teachers are scheduled to be included in Phase 1B. The state has not announced when the next phase could begin. The Pittsburgh Public Schools have announced that in-person instruction will not start until April at the earliest.

If Wolf is willing to expedite the distribution of vaccines to educators, Peduto said the city can provide staff support as needed, coordinate with local hospitals and public safety professionals, and offer our neighborhood recreation and senior centers as community-based vaccine distribution sites.