PGCPS Starts Vaccinating Teachers; CEO Considers Hybrid Classes

Bowie MD

28 January, 2021

9:30 PM

Description

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Prince George's County will start vaccinating its teachers and staff this weekend. School system CEO Monica Goldson announced the breakthrough Thursday, indicating that she is mulling a move toward hybrid classes. The Prince George's County Health Department will start giving shots Saturday at the Sports and Learning Complex in Landover. Additional clinics will begin next week at the Kaiser Permanente Lanham Rehabilitation Center. The coronavirus immunizations will be available for six to eight weeks. If a teacher has to miss class for their appointment, they will inform their students and prerecord lessons. "The safety of our students and staff has been my top priority as we navigate these unprecedented times," Goldson said in a newsletter. "I am encouraging all Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) employees to get vaccinated for their own safety and that of the children and families we serve." Prince George's is in the third wave of its inoculation rollout, known as phase 1C. Despite this, the county has vaccinated residents at the slowest rate in the state. Health officials are still trying to get doses to everybody eligible in stages 1A and 1B. These residents could get the immunization in the first period: Hospital and frontline health care workersResidents and staff of long-term care facilitiesFrontline first responders and essential public safety employeesAll licensed, registered and certified health care providersDepartment of Corrections health care staff and officers These locals followed in phase 1B: Everybody age 75 and upAssisted living and other congregate living facilitiesCritical government leadership for continuity of operationsTeachers and support staffChild care workers Once the county catches up on the residents in the first two groups, these Prince Georgians will be next in line in stage 1C: Everybody age 65 to 74Public safety and public health care employees not covered in phase 1AGrocery store, food and agriculture, postal service and public transit staffersOther essential workers at high risk for exposure With declining coronavirus metrics, PGCPS promised to consider hybrid options as the semester progresses. Goldson will give a reopening update in mid-February. This development came a week after Gov. Larry Hogan pressured schools to offer widespread hybrid classes by March 1. "Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the PGCPS community has shown that we are in this together," the CEO added. "I have greatly appreciated the support you have shown during these difficult times." More information about PGCPS's vaccination effort is available at this link. To see when you'll be eligible for the inoculation, read Patch's explainer. Check out our how-to guide to learn how to sign up for the shot. Catch up on the latest coronavirus infection and vaccination metrics in Prince George's County by heading to our latest numbers update. RELATED: Prince George's Starts Squashing Coronavirus Surge; Cases PlummetCoronavirus Vaccine: Prince George's County Lays Out TimelineHow To Get Coronavirus Vaccine In Prince George's CountyMD Pharmacies Will Give Vaccine; Hogan Touts Network During VisitAssisted Living Sites Get Coronavirus Vaccine In Prince George'sAfter 51-Day Shutdown, Indoor Dining Resumes In Prince George's Have a story idea? Please contact me at [email protected] with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.