Atlanta schools seek hundreds of volunteers to staff vaccine events

Atlanta Public Schools is recruiting hundreds of volunteers to administer COVID-19 vaccinations once the shots are available to teachers and district staff. (Ben Gray/AJC FILE PHOTO)

Credit: Ben Gray

Credit: Ben Gray

Atlanta Public Schools is recruiting hundreds of volunteers to administer COVID-19 vaccinations once the shots are available to teachers and district staff. (Ben Gray/AJC FILE PHOTO)

Atlanta Public Schools is recruiting volunteer medical professionals to administer COVID-19 vaccinations once the shots are available to teachers and district staff. Other helpers are also needed to staff the events.

Georgia teachers are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, though Gov. Brian Kemp said he soon will announce details about expanding eligibility to include more people.

APS officials pushed the state to give teachers the vaccine more quickly. An internal APS survey shows just over half of 3,766 responding employees want the vaccine.

In a Friday blog post, Superintendent Lisa Herring wrote that the district is preparing “to accommodate thousands of APS educators who will take the vaccine.”

To that end, she wrote, APS needs to recruit hundreds of volunteers.

The district plans to hold vaccination events for employees in coordination with the Fulton County Board of Health. Those with a medical background can check the district’s website to determine if they have the authority to vaccinate.

Those interested in assisting with other roles can sign up in advance through the website servega.gov. Volunteers should register under the organization Fulton County, Medical Reserve Corps.

“We know that vaccinating as many staff members as possible will be critical for continuing to open our schools safely,” Herring wrote.