Government John Bel Edwards’ administration has quietly prioritized new groups of people at the next stage of the vaccine, giving clerics, veterinarians and the faculty and staff of colleges and universities a preference for the shots.
The University of Louisiana system said in an email to its faculty that the Department of Health in Louisiana has added faculties and staff members to higher education to the “Phase 1B Level 2” of the vaccination. Currently, the state is in ‘Phase 1B Level 1’, and it’s not clear when Edwards plans to move to the next level.
See who is now eligible for coronavirus vaccinations in Louisiana: teachers, pregnant women, more
The email quoted a Feb. 18 LDH memorandum that made two changes that Edwards did not announce last week, when he selected the current eligible group of K-12 teachers and others at to add. The memorandum states that clergy and ‘institutes of higher education faculties and staff’ are part of the next level of qualifying people. Veterinarians and staff were also added.
An LDH spokesman confirmed the move Monday.
The state has already placed “legal staff”, correctional officers and prison guards, food processing and agricultural workers, veterinarians and staff, postal staff and others in the next group.
The date on which the group will receive the vaccine has not yet been announced.
Louisiana expands coronavirus vaccine eligible for K-12 teachers, people with health conditions
Edwards said last week he would add K-12 and daycare teachers and staff along with pregnant women and people aged 55-64 with a list of specified health conditions to the current fitness group. People 65 years and older have already had access to the vaccine.
Louisiana received more than 90,000 doses of vaccine this week, an increase from previous weeks cited by Edwards as a reason for expanding its priority groups. A number of interest groups – including state and federal judges – urged the governor to prioritize themselves or their workers for vaccinations.