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Jenkins says essential K-12 employees should be added to priority groups for coronavirus vaccination. 

Right now, those priority groups include healthcare workers and long-term care residents.

In a letter sent Friday, Jenkins argued that instructional, classified and administrative staff that come in direct contact with students should also be able to get the vaccine.

She said with more than 18,000 additional students preparing to return to face-to-face instruction in January, vaccinating these employees would protect their health and ensure they’re able to provide critical instruction and other support services.

It would also encourage staff who are currently on leave due to the threat of COVID-19 to return to their schools where they are needed to serve more students.

Jenkins said the district would coordinate vaccinations with the union to make sure the most vulnerable workers get the vaccine first. 

About half of the school district’s 200,000 students will be attending class in person next semester.

Here is my Community Update for today, which discusses Winter Break and the upcoming second semester. We take the health and safety of students and staff seriously, so let’s work together to stay healthy and safe. Have a peaceful and joyful Winter Break. https://t.co/0IutBkg74E

— Dr. Barbara Jenkins (@SuptJenkins) December 17, 2020