RACINE — As the world rounds one full year of COVID-19, the Racine Unified School District is working to make sure its teachers are vaccinated as they continue phasing-in to face-to-face learning.
For many reasons, hundreds of teachers had their reasons to come down to get their vaccines. After losing family, friends, or neighbors to COVID-19, getting vaccinated was all these educators could think about, as more students prepare to return to class.
Hundreds of district employees had a vaccine appointment Wednesday at the city’s health department.
“I’m so excited, this has been a long year and this is what we’ve all been waiting for,” said Abby Barron, a 7th-grade teacher.
Over a year into the pandemic, Racine County has tallied more than 20,000 cases and 321 deaths as a community.
City Of Racine health Director Bobbi Fergus told TMJ4 News they aren’t out of the woods just yet, despite numbers inching in the right direction.
Judith Matus, an English teacher at Racine Case High School, says it’s been a rough year. She’s almost 60 and has asthma – her biggest reasons for getting the vaccine are her family both in school and at home.
“I’m doing it because I want to live and I know that sounds cheesy but I have two kids and I want to be there for them for a very long time... and I love my job and I just wanna be OK,” Matus said.
Wednesday, at city hall alone, the health department said 315 vaccination appointments were booked for educators.