Cape district COVID-19 vaccinations likely to begin in February
Cape Henlopen School District Superintendent Bob Fulton said he expects educators to begin receiving the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in early February.
Fulton said he had hoped vaccinations would begin in mid-January; he originally thought school districts would develop their own plans, but said he recently learned that Delaware Department of Education and Delaware Division of Public Health will roll out the vaccination plan for state educators.
“They will make contact with groups that have the vaccine and communicate to districts where staff can receive it,” Fulton said. “The sooner the better for us, obviously.”
DOE spokesperson Alison May said the department is working with district, charter, independent, private and parochial schools, and the Delaware State Education Association to create the vaccination plan for school personnel, including contractors and non-Delaware residents who work in Delaware schools.
“Information will become available over the next two weeks to include a vaccination toolkit appropriate for all faculty and staff, details of the vaccination plan that includes a survey to gauge interest in participation, how to register once the vaccine is available, and every step in between,” May said. “It is expected that educators’ vaccines will begin in early February.”
On Dec. 29, DPH announced its final recommendations on the timing for distribution of the vaccine to Phase 1b recipients, which includes educators. During his weekly press conference Jan. 5, Gov. John Carney recommended that Delaware schools return to hybrid learning Jan. 11.
With the governor’s focus on getting students back in school, Fulton said, priority for the vaccine should be given to educators and staff who work with students in person. He said he expects to see an increase in positive cases the next couple weeks because of gatherings over the holidays.
“Vaccination won’t be the end-all,” he said. “We’ll still have to follow the protocols we have in place.”
