Henry County Schools says that about 92% of its workforce is now vaccinated against COVID-19.
The south metro Atlanta district, which announced the figure on Monday, said it reached the rate through a number of efforts. Those included using school nurses to vaccinate employees and offering a $1,000 incentive for all staffers who were vaccinated by the end of this past September.
“We know that being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best way to stay healthy and prevent serious reactions to the virus,” Superintendent Mary Elizabeth Davis said in a news release announcing the milestone.
“It also allows a person to reduce their time away from work which may otherwise have occurred as a result of quarantining requirements or any symptoms they may experience as a result of a breakthrough case,” she said.
School districts across metro Atlanta have used on-site clinics, financial incentives and vaccination drives to encourage staff to get inoculated.
Henry reported 21 COVID-19 cases for the week ending Nov. 5. The highest count - 480 - was the week ending Aug. 20.
More than 2,250 Henry educators received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on campus last March when the vaccine was rolled out to teachers in a partnership with the Georgia Department of Public Health, Piedmont Henry Hospital and Moye’s Pharmacy, the district said.
The one-time $1,000 incentive was approved by the Henry County Board of Education at the end of August.
“Our teachers and support staff have been a steadying force for each of our school communities across the county, and we look forward to continued health and success for every child, in every classroom, at every school,” Davis said.
