WASHINGTON— With several COVID-19 vaccines being fast-tracked for approval, vaccines may be available sometime in December.
The following can be attributed to NEA President Becky Pringle.
“Every single student, educator, and parent in America has spent the past 10 months in a state of anxiety over the COVID-19 pandemic and what it’s done to our school communities. There is no replacement for the in-person connection between our students and their educators. With promises of a vaccine on the horizon, we have a new opportunity to return to an in-person education where every student can thrive – but only if vaccination campaigns are done safely and equitably. America’s educators are working tirelessly every single day to advocate for and create healthy learning spaces for students. NEA is calling on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as state and local governments to prioritize educators for early access to COVID-19 vaccines.
“Additionally, we urge the CDC and other governmental agencies to use consistent and transparent communications on the benefits and safety of vaccines, and that they explicitly recognize the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on Native, Black and Latinx communities. Vaccine distribution planning and evidence-based campaigns must specifically address the disproportionate suffering and historical abuses in communities of color. As leaders in our communities, NEA, our members and affiliates will partner with civic organizations, community leaders and families to share relevant and scientifically-sound information on vaccines to help promote use among communities of color.
“A vaccine alone won’t solve for the challenges our nation’s public-school students and educators are confronting during this pandemic, and a vaccine will not close the gaps exacerbated by widespread closures of school buildings or generations of underfunding schools in communities of color. That’s why we are calling on Congress to pass the HEROES Act and provide more than $225 billion for education. The bill takes a major step toward providing public schools and colleges with the tools and resources they need to reopen buildings and campuses safely and equitably.”
To read the position statement in its entirety visit: https://www.nea.org/resource-library/nea-position-covid-19-vaccines
Media Contact
- Celeste Busser
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