Schools shouldn’t wait for every teacher to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to reopen, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said it is “important” for educators to get the vaccine, but there is no need to resume classes.
“It is clear that this is not a sine qua non condition. You can’t say we don’t open schools unless all teachers are vaccinated, ”Fauci told CNN anchor Jim Sciutto
Fauci said states should still prioritize teachers for vaccinations while following other health guidelines such as masking, sanitizing, and social distancing.
“They have a priority when it comes to essential staff, but we think we can make progress by vaccinating teachers, but it doesn’t have to be that if they haven’t been vaccinated, you can’t open the school,” Fauci said. .
Fauci’s recommendations are in line with the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for return to schools.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the CDC, told reporters that vaccinating teachers is “an extra layer of protection,” but to focus on other public health recommendations.
“We know that most of the clusters in the school environment have occurred when there have been breaches of mask wearing,” said Walensky.
The CDC released its guide to reopening schools last week.