This year I'm teaching part-time at my kids' school (2-3 days a week). After talking to my doctor, it sounds like I can qualify for the Pfizer booster (in 2 weeks it will be 6 months since my 2nd dose). Doctor said schools are considered "high-risk work settings" so I would qualify. No underlying conditions. I don't know very many (any?) people who have gotten the booster yet or are planning to. It seems like most I work with either didn't get Pfizer or have had covid more recently (including breakthrough cases) and aren't in a hurry to get the booster. I'd like to get it soon though...I know there are world-wide vaccine equity issues to consider as well.
Teachers - have you gotten the booster? Are you going to?
My mom is a high school special education aide and is either got hers this week or is getting it next week, she said to help protect her unvaccinated grandkids (mine are 8 and 2, my sister's are 6 and 3).
Does anyone know if higher Ed is included as education staff for boosters? My state did not include us last time for priority, which was fine for me since I was still remote and teachers had higher risk. Now I'm back in person meeting with students, I'd like to get a booster but didn't want to line jump. The guidance I'm finding just says educators including support staff and admins.
Post by sillygoosegirl on Oct 8, 2021 11:19:25 GMT -5
Even if you are personally low risk, I think teachers should be getting boosted if for no other reason than to protect students from being exposed to a breakthrough infection you may still have. Especially if you work with kids who aren't eligible to be vaccinated themselves yet. If you are generally young and healthy but in a high exposure environment, the booster is as much or more about protecting others, I think.
I got mine this week. I teach in a somewhat vaccine resistant community, so many of my students are eligible but have not been vaxxed. Most of the teachers I’ve talked to are getting the booster. (Weirdly, I got the underarm lymph node lump with this dose, but have otherwise felt completely fine. First two left me very fatigued for a couple of days.)
Does anyone know if higher Ed is included as education staff for boosters? My state did not include us last time for priority, which was fine for me since I was still remote and teachers had higher risk. Now I'm back in person meeting with students, I'd like to get a booster but didn't want to line jump. The guidance I'm finding just says educators including support staff and admins.
In WI, yes. That's how I qualify and was never questioned about it.
Thanks! MA's website is super vague, so maybe they are leaving it to each individual to decide if their job qualifies. I haven't hit 6 months yet, but on the off chance I get turned away in MA, I can try to border hop to VT.
plutosmoon , to clarify, I wasn't questioned when I received the first two doses. I indicated I worked in education, but never had to show proof. I'm scheduled to get the booster next week through Walgreens and made the appointment in the exact same way. We have a vaccination clinic on campus, but when I tried scheduling the booster, I received a message that I could be turned away in the event there were supply issues and/or they deemed I didn't qualify. I decided to go through Walgreens again. We'll see what happens next week.
ETA: I just read the eligibility info on the MA website. It looks identical to WI. Technically I also qualify due to obesity, but all of my colleagues have interpreted working in education/teachers to include higher education. Awhile back there was some language about student contact. My supervisor interpreted that to include us, as our jobs are all student contact.
I'm still conducting mostly Zoom appointments, but plan to transition back to offering face-to-face options. Our student population is 81% vaccinated and campus has a mask mandate.
In the spring higher Ed was specifically excluded in MA when they prioritized educators. So vague for boosters in comparison to what we had in the beginning.
We have a vaccine mandate, weekly testing and a mask mandate. I believe our vaccine rate is over 90%, so students themselves arent worrying me,but I'm being asked to meet in person with prospective students. I'm going to try at the end of the month once I hit 6 months, I guess I'll find out then.
In WI, yes. That's how I qualify and was never questioned about it.
Thanks! MA's website is super vague, so maybe they are leaving it to each individual to decide if their job qualifies. I haven't hit 6 months yet, but on the off chance I get turned away in MA, I can try to border hop to VT.
I’m a teacher in MA who is getting a booster in a few days at CVS. It just asked if I fit the criteria but didn’t ask me which one I met, so I think it’s sort of an honor system. It wasn’t hard to get an appointment, so I suspect you’re not really “line jumping” at this point— there doesn’t seem to be a shortage and the more immunity the better. I think the state would rather have more people who are in contact with lots of people (for any reason) get boosters if they’ll help our numbers come down.
I got it last weekend! I felt a little weird doing it right away, but we literally shoved an extra 120 kids in our elementary school this year and it’s going to be a germ-fest!
Post by UMaineTeach on Oct 8, 2021 19:27:38 GMT -5
I intend to get it, but I think I’m going to wait more toward the 8 month recommendation that came out first.
I did get my flu shot this week though, because it was conveniently at school. I do wonder if I should have gotten it later in the season. But, it’s not likely I have gotten myself together to get it outside of working hours in a timely manner.
Not a teacher, but I am a school nurse with 3 kids under 12 at home. I got my booster just a couple of days ago. I was also 9 months out from my 2nd dose (I was in the first batch of people to be vaxxed because I was working in the hospital). So I felt like it was time for the extra protection for myself, my kids, and the kids in my schools.
I got moderna or I totally would. Teachers are included in the high risk groups for a reason. I see so many students every day that I'd love any extra protection for myself, my family and my students. We've already had two breakthrough cases among staff in my school and while no one got dangerously sick, they caused a lot of quarantines, which is hugely disruptive to students education and family lives.
"Hello babies. Welcome to Earth. It's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. It's round and wet and crowded. On the outside, babies, you've got a hundred years here. There's only one rule that I know of, babies-"God damn it, you've got to be kind.”
Thanks for posting this! We checked and my H qualified to get the booster (we’re in FL). We all got flu shots today and he got his COVID booster at the same time. This was at Walgreens.
I got Pfizer and I got it 2 weeks ago. If you are eligible, get it. Working in a school, regardless of how many days a week you work or what your job is, you are eligible.
Post by whattheheck on Oct 10, 2021 1:57:12 GMT -5
Not a teacher, but an aide in a program for students with autism that is in a K-5 local school building. I got the Pfizer booster last week. Fewer side effects than either of the first two shots.
Post by keweenawlove on Oct 10, 2021 13:29:33 GMT -5
Not a teacher but work in healthcare in a pediatric setting and I just got mine. I'm over 8 months out from the first round. If I'm able to be better protected, it helps the kids I'm around at work.
I'm not a teacher but I work in higher ed and I'm in the office daily. I got mine about 10 days ago. I don't see any reason to wait, and eligibility isn't super strict or well defined like it was when they originally rolled out - it's basically up to your own judgement. Are you around a lot of people daily due to work? Then you're eligible. Obviously, I'm only talking if you are a Pfizer recipient.
Honestly, my H also got his and he primarily works from home. But I'm around people and could potentially bring it home to him, and shots are abundantly available in our area, so I don't feel like he took it away from someone else.
my coworkers have mostly all gotten it. I will be getting my soon, I have had some issues since my second shot that we are still troubleshooting so my dr and I decided to wait a little longer for mine personally (I have had my first 2)