Memphis, Tenn. — On a snow filled Monday, some elementary school teachers made their way to the Shelby County School System headquarters for a COVID shot.
School Communications Director Jerica Phillips says the school system had to act quickly.
“Our teachers took advantage. They came out,” Phillips said.
Phillips says the Health Department notified them Sunday night they had a limited number of doses that had to been given by Monday or they would have to be thrown out.
They offered them to Shelby County Schools.
“We did not want to risk them being discarded. So the Superintendent did direct the staff very late last night to insure we were able to make this operation happen for our Pre-K through 5 elementary school teachers,” Phillips said.
Phillips says they used a survey from January where employees expressed an interest in the shot, to determine who got an alert about this early availability.
“We allowed it on a first come first serve basis since there was a limited availability. That first come first serve basis was based on about 500 vaccinations that I am aware of,” Phillips said.
It was by appointment only and she says all the slots were filled. But SCS stresses this is not the vaccination plan the school system plans to roll out. That is still being developed for employees.
But they say with PreK-5 teachers and staff headed back to the classrooms in a couple of weeks, this was one opportunity they did not want to miss.
“This will not be the only opportunity our employees will have to be vaccinated,” Phillips said.