Educators have first dibs to Publix vaccine appointments Wednesday

Fox 4 Morning News looks into whether that availability will mean more Lee County students and teachers returning to in-person learning.

YOU’RE INTERESTED, YOU’LL WANTTO HOP IN LINE *NOW... YOU CANFIND THE LINK TO THEIR VACCINEAPPOINTMENTS WHEN YOU GO TOFOX-4-NOW-DOT-COM..AND WHEN THE PUBLIX BOOKINGWINDOW OPENS BACK UP... TEACHERSAND SCHOOL STAFF acrossSOUTHWEST FLORIDA WILL BE INLINE.FOX 4’S JESSICA ALPERN ISLOOKING INTO WHETHERAVAILABILITY TO THE SHOT...MEANS WE COULD SEE MOREEDUCATORS AND STUDENTS RETURN TOFACE-TO-FACE LEARNING.SHE LIVE FROM A PUBLIX IN FORTMYERS WITH THOSE DETAILS.THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO MAAPPOINTMENTS THIS MORNING WILLBE ABLE TO GET THE ONE-DOSE SHOTAT A LOCAL PUBLIX THIS WEEKENDTHAT MEANS TWO-WEEKS after that,THEY’D BE CONSIDERED "FULLYVACCINATED."SO I ASKED OUR LOCAL SCHOOLDISTRICTS IF THEY’RE SEEING ANINCREASE IN INTEREST FROMEDUCATORS WANTING TO RETURN TOIN-PERSON LEARNING.THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LEECOUNTY RESPONDED SAYING THAT’SNOT THE CASE.ADDING THAT "WITH THE AMMOUNT OFSTUDENTS IN LEE VIRTUAL SCHOOLAND LEE HOME CONNECT... IT STILLNEEDS THOSE TEACHERS IN ITSVIRTUAL MODELS."RIGHT NOW THAT’S MORE THAN15-THOUSAND-SIX-HUNDRED STUDENTSCOMBINED.WHILE IT MAY NOT BE DRIVING ASHIFT IN THOSE RETURNING TOCAMPUS... EDUCATORS HAVE BEENPUSHING TO BE PRIORITIZED SINCETHE VACCINE BECAME AVAILABLE.BUT GOVERNOR DESANTIS QUESTIONEDTHE VALUE OF PUTTING MANY OFTHEM BEFORE SENIORS AGAINYESTERDAY, DURING A PRESSCONFERNECE IN LEHIGH ACRES."As I’ve said publicly to have a23 year old employee of schoolor anything to say they’higher risk than someone 75 isjust not factually true so wereally want to focus on elderlypeople I think that makes themost sense.

But that wasn’t adecision by CVS, Publix or anyof the pharmacies.

That wasdictated to them by Health andHuman Services."IT’S NOT JUST TEACHERS ANDSCHOOL STAFF BEING PRIORITIZED.BUS DRIVERS AND CHILD CAREWORKERS can also get a shot.BUT JUST LIKE SENIORS, THEY’REALREADY EXPERIENCING SIMILARCHALLENGES WITH TRYING TO GETAPPOINTMENTS.YOU’LL HEAR MORE ON THAT P