Long Branch Reps: Make Teachers A Priority In Getting Vaccine

LONG BRANCH, NJ — Three Democrats who represent the Long Branch area in Trenton are calling on Gov. Murphy to make teachers a priority in getting the coronavirus vaccine.

State Senator Vin Gopal and Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey want all New Jersey teachers (both public and private school), school support staff and daycare workers to be next in line for getting the vaccine.

Right now, front-line workers such as police and firefighters and anyone 65 and older can get the vaccine. Teachers have not been given any special priority to get a vaccine appointment, even though many of them are already back in the classroom and have been so since the beginning of the year.

This is a bipartisan movement: Earlier in January, Republican state lawmakers Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, R-Monmouth, and Sen. Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, said they want teachers included in the first round of getting the shots. Just this week, a coalition of school superintendents from Mercer County sent a letter to Murphy, urging him to place teachers in the "highest priority" to receive the COVID vaccine.

Gopal, Houghtaling and Downey also want the Murphy administration to begin meeting with school districts to discuss their potential vaccination plans for their employees who wish to receive it between now and this August.

Teachers are already technically part of 1B in New Jersey's vaccine plan. Anyone who works in food service and anyone who works in public transit is also part of 1B, as are journalists.

However, demand for the vaccine far exceeds supply.

“As teachers continue to put their own health in jeopardy in the classroom each day, it is only fair for these groups to be prioritized into the Group 1B phase so they can be protected while they complete their essential job for our state," said Assemblyman Houghtaling (D-Neptune). "We do not want to unnecessarily disrupt student learning any further, and bringing teachers, support staff and daycare workers into Group 1B will help bring back a sense of normalcy to our community.”

Read: Mercer Superintendents Urge Murphy To Vaccinate Teachers Quickly (Feb. 3)

"Planning now can help get districts ready for full in-person learning and normalcy for September 2021, which will greatly benefit our students, teachers and families," said Sen. Gopal (D-Long Branch). "The change to virtual instructions and the constant uncertainty of the school year has not come without difficulties, yet the teachers have persevered going above and beyond what was expected of them.

Senator Vin Gopal and Assembly Members Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey represent New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District. The 11th District includes the Monmouth County towns of Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls and West Long Branch.

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