Gwinnett County Public Schools plan to begin vaccinating some employees against the coronavirus as early as two weeks from now, the associate superintendent for operations said Monday at a school board meeting.
The state’s largest school district, Gwinnett employs about 23,000 workers, including about 12,000 teachers. Since the school year began, more than 1,400 staff and students who had been reporting to school buildings tested positive for COVID-19, according to school district data.
Educational faculty and staff are included in the next phase of Georgia’s vaccine rollout, although the state has not announced when it will begin.
During the meeting, some board members disagreed with Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks over reopening of schools. Tarece Johnson and Karen Watkins, newly-installed members, urged Wilbanks to delay in-person instruction until Jan. 19. Board member Everton Blair Jr. could not attend the meeting but submitted a letter in favor of the delay.
Wilbanks said keeping schools open right now is best for many children academically, socially and emotionally.
After an hour of debate, Wilbanks said in-person and virtual instruction would begin Thursday as planned. Gwinnett school board policy gives the superintendent control over the academic calendar, including when to open or close schools.
“I see no need to change the schedule and do not want to change the schedule,” he said. “If we see there are issues beyond our control with the proper protocols we have now, we will look at that again.”
COVID-19 cases have increased in the past two weeks in Gwinnett County, which is now reporting more than 700 coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents.
Between private providers and the Gwinnett, Newton & Rockdale County Health Department, there should eventually be enough vaccine doses for all Gwinnett County Public Schools employees, said Chad Wasdin, health department spokesman.
“It’s hard to put a time frame on anything right now because vaccine availability is really the driving force,” he said.
The district plans to send out a survey to employees soon asking who wants the vaccine, said Steve Flynt, associate superintendent of school improvement and operations.
Marietta City Schools, in Cobb County, offered the vaccine Tuesday afternoon on a voluntary basis to staff aged 65 and older, who are included in the first phase of Georgia’s vaccination plan.
