Vail District tries to help speed up vaccinations for educators

THE PRESSURE TO REOPENCAMPUSES -- IT'S TAKING LONGERTO GET STAFF VACCINATED.

PIMACOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT TOLDSUPERINTENDENTS THAT STAFFVACCINATIONS ARE BEING REDUCEDTHIS WEEK.

VAIL'SSUPERINTENDENT SAYS HE'S GONETO THE COUNTY WITH A SOLUTION.HERE'S WHAT HAPPENING.60 VACCINE SHOTS GIVEN IN ANHOUR AT OLD VAIL MIDDLESCHOOL.

THERE ARE DOZENS OFVOLUNTEERS AND VAIL STAFFWORKING ALONGSIDE RINCON FIRECREW AND THE UNITED COMMUNITYHEALTH CLINIC TO GIVE THEVACCINATIONS AT NO COST TOPIMA COUNTY.

IT'S A VERYCONVENIENT SPOT FOR EDUCATORSIN THE DISTRICT.

NOT TOMENTION THIS MOBILE VACCINECLINIC IS JUST YARDS AWAY FROMTHE SCHOOL.

SOT: "WE ARE INHYBRID LEARNING ON MONDAYAGAIN.

FOR OUR STAFF TO HAVEAT LEAST ONE VACCINE IN THEIRARM IS HUGE IF NOTHING MORETHAN A MORALE BOOST.

BUT THISVACCINE SITE ISN'T FOR THEVAIL STAFF.

THIS HAS BEEN SETUP FOR THE 75 AND OLDERPOPULATION.

AND SUPERINTENDENTJOHN CARRUTH IS UPSET THATHIS STAFF COULDN'T BEINCLUDED.

SOT: OUR ASK IS THATWE'RE SIMPLY ALLOWED BY THECOUNTY TO OFFER THAT SAMECOURTESY TO THE EDUCATORS WHOWORK IN THE BUILDING WHO AREWATCHING THE SHOT CLINICHAPPEN.

HE'S MADE REPEATEDLYPLEAS TO THE COUNTY EVENJUST AN HOUR BEFORE THISINTERVIEW.

SOT: AFTER YOURDISCUSSION TODAY ANY MOVEMENTON YOUR REQUEST?

NO.

NO.POLITELY TOLD THAT IF WE'DLIKE TO DO THAT WE MIGHT BEABLE TO DO THAT SOMETIME INTHE FUTURE.

THEIR PRIORITY ISTO GET THE UOFA POD UP ANDRUNNING.

THAT'S THE SITE PIMACOUNTY IS SENDING ALLEDUCATORS TO GET VACCINATEDWHICH CARRUTH CONSIDERS A HIKEFOR STAFF.

AND THERE'S ANOTHERISSUE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM ISOVERWHELMED -- CAUSING THEDELAYS IN REGISTRATION.

WEREACHED OUT TO HEATH DIRECTORTHERESA CULLEN.

SHE EXPLAINSWHY THE COUNTY IS NOT BUDGINGON VAIL'S REQUEST.

SOT: WEHAVE BEEN TOLD BY THE STATETHAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGWE CAN DO IS SHOW HIGHTHROUGHPUT OF OUR VACCINATIONAREAS.

THE POINTS OF LARGEDISTRIBUTION.

WHERE CAN DO 700TO 2000 VACCINATIONS.

SHE SAIDEVERYONE NEEDS TO BE PATIENT.CARRUTH SAYS HE'S PATIENT --TO A DEGREE.

SOT: I'M FULLYAWARE THE COUNTY IS WRESTLINGA LOGISTICAL GORILLA.

AND IFEEL THAT WE CAN OFFER HELP TOTHEM IN WRESTLING THATGORILLA.

I WISH THEY WOULDTAKE US UP ON THE OFFER TOHELP.CARRUTH SAYS HE'S BEENALLOTTED 60 VACCINATIONS THISWEEK -- AND IF HE HAD (ALSOBEEN GIVEN THOSE DOSES TODAY-- MORE STAFF COULD HAVERECEIVED IT IN TIME FORMONDAY'S RE- OPENING OF THECAMPUSES.

CULLEN TELLS US --SHE EXPECTS THE U-OF-A POD TOHAVE 500+ APPOINTMENTSSTARTING TOMORROW.HEALTH