LANSING, Mich. — Almost all of Michigan’s school employees are either fully or in the process of being vaccinated against COVID-19, according to an online survey of more than 22,000 Michigan Education Association members released Tuesday.
Beyond the 82.3% who said they’re already fully vaccinated, 3.6% have so far received the first of two Pfizer or Moderna shorts and another 0.6% have their first shot scheduled.
Another 1.2% still plan to receive the vaccine, 7.4% say they will not and 4.7% still aren’t sure.
“These numbers are a testament to the success of Gov. Whitmer prioritizing school employees to receive the vaccine,” MEA President Paula Herbart said. “That decision in early January was essential to providing more in-person learning opportunities for students. MEA thanks Gov. Whitmer for her leadership nationally in getting the vaccine rolled out to frontline workers like our members.”
Back on March 18, a National Education Association survey showed nearly half of educators across the country had received at least one vaccine shot, up from 18% in a February survey.
MEA research at the same time showed Michigan outpacing those national numbers, with almost two-thirds having received at least one shot in early February.
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“These numbers are a bright spot as Michigan weathers our current wave of COVID cases,” Herbart said. “While most educators are vaccinated, most of our students are not and we’re concerned about their safety. That’s why MEA supports Gov. Whitmer’s call for a pause to many in-person activities and, further, encourages all school districts, community colleges and universities to make the local decision to switch to virtual learning until this surge subsides.”
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