CDC: Vaccinating teachers not required to reopen schools

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to head the Centers for Disease Control, speaks during a news conference at the Queen Theater. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

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UPDATED 7:30 PM PT – Wednesday, February 3, 2021

The CDC said teachers are not required to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for schools to safely re-open. In a briefing Wednesday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said educators can now resume in-person classes as long as public health precautions are taken.

This came as the CDC Advisory Committee highlighted teachers as essential workers and put them under the second priority group for vaccinations. However, she added it is not essential to wait for the vaccinations to take place.

Students keep six feet apart as they walk to their lunch break at the Westwood STAR Tutoring & Enrichment Center on September 10, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)

“While we are implementing the criteria of the Advisory Committee and the state and local guidances to get vaccination across these eligible communities,” Dr. Walensky said. “I would also say that…vaccination of teachers is not a pre-requisite to [the[ safe reopening of schools.”

In the meantime, the Biden administration called for increased funding to open schools. However, the CDC said there’s little evidence of mass virus transmission in schools as long as proper social distancing and precautions are taken.

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