Teachers’ vaccinations are no longer a fixed point in getting Medina County children back

MEDINA, Ohio – In an effort to fully open personal classrooms, the governors’ office, the superintendents of all Medina County schools, the Medina County Health Department and Discount Drug Mart have teamed up to organize a one-day COVID-19 vaccination clinic for all provincial educators and school staff.

All provincial schools were closed on Thursday (February 4) to enable 1,800 teachers and staff members to receive Pfizer vaccinations at Medina High School. Another 1,500 were vaccinated at Brunswick High School.

Dr. Robert Hlasko, superintendent of the Medina County Education Services Center, explained that Medina County was one of the first in the state to receive the vaccinations. He attributed this fact to the weekly meetings the provincial supervisors have held with the health department since the pandemic broke out last year.

Because of the cooperation, the country was able to assure the governor’s office that they had a plan and were prepared to implement it as soon as vaccines were available.

Discount Drug Mart provided educators with the platform to register and plan the vaccinations. Early in the week, eligible educators received a scheduling link for the clinic, which opened at 7 a.m. and was offered until 5 p.m.

Jason Briscoe, director of pharmacy operations for Discount Drug Mart, said the 76 pharmacies in Ohio have administered 30,000 COVID-19 vaccines to senior citizens over the past 14 days.

He mentioned that the pharmacists who gave the Medina High School admissions came from pharmacies everywhere in the area and probably worked a 12-hour day on Wednesday before going to the clinic on Thursday.

Medina City Schools Superintendent Aaron Sable spoke about the problems manning the schools during the pandemic. Sable said the biggest challenge is to quarantine students and staff exposed to the coronavirus.

He speaks with tongue in cheek about his lack of experience: “This is my first pandemic and first vaccination clinic.”

He said that although 80 percent of school workers will now be protected by the vaccine, and although there is little or no spread of the virus within schools, the district will continue with strict protocols, including safe social distance and mask wear.

Staff members who arrived at Medina High School for their vaccinations were sent to the gym, where they were booked in and administered to one of the various pharmacists who administered the vaccine.

One pharmacist estimated that he was given a chance every three minutes.

After each person received his or her vaccination, they moved to the upper part of the gym, where they sat for 15 minutes before being excused. This was to note any reaction to the vaccination.

Due to HIPAA restrictions and for the benefit of the media, Melanie Condosta, a physical education teacher at AI Root Middle School, volunteered to have her vaccinated in a separate classroom. Pharmacist Megan Levitt of Drug Mart Mart Cuyahoga Falls administered the shot.

“The shot did not hurt at all,” Condosta said. ‘This pandemic was rough; it was an emotional rollercoaster. I think everyone is happy to be back in school. ”

Country schools will be closed again for one day – after about 27 days – so that the second shot in the Pfizer series can be fired. As previous recipients have reported mild side effects from the second dose of Pfizer, the vaccine will likely be given on a Friday to give staff time to rest over the weekend.

Consider the benefits of the one-day vaccinations: hopefully none of the 3,300 school workers will contract COVID-19. In a ripple effect, none of the people will infect others with the virus, no one will be admitted to the hospital, students will be allowed back into the classrooms with their friends, parents will go back to work – and life can begin seems like pre-pandemic normal for families in Medina County.

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