COVID vaccines for Missouri teachers gain priority under federal directive
Missouri teachers waiting for the COVID-19 vaccine may now begin receiving them from federally-contracted providers in the Kansas City area under new national guidelines.
Under Missouri’s plan, teachers were not scheduled to begin getting the vaccination until March 15. But last week, President Joe Biden directed states to prioritize educators and childcare workers for the vaccine, the Associated Press reported.
Biden has promised to have most K-8 schools open by the end of his first 100 days in office, or the end of April.
Missouri officials faced criticism in recent weeks for not prioritizing educators. In Kansas, teachers began receiving the inoculations in January.
In a statement Monday, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas welcomed the Biden administration’s prioritization of educators, saying the vaccinations “are key to reopening our schools for in-person learning quickly and safely.”
“Our teachers deserve protection for the essential work they do to educate our next generation,” Lucas said.
This story was originally published March 8, 2021 at 6:59 PM.
