(Newer)
– Teachers in New Jersey are outraged by the state’s introduction of vaccinations that prioritize smokers over educators. Now that approximately 300,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines have been administered to primary care health workers, long-term care home residents, police officers, and firefighters, New Jersey has begun offering vaccines to anyone 65 or older, anyone with pre-existing conditions, and – to the ire of teachers – anyone who smokes. “Smoking poses a significant risk of an adverse outcome from COVID-19,” said Judy Persichilli, Department of Health commissioner to NJ.com, who reports that there are 2 million smokers between the ages of 16 and 64 in the state. For some teachers, this feels like rewarding a bad habit. Smoking is optional for them, but putting their health at risk to return to class is not.
“I think prioritizing smokers as a group has offended teachers” and “[we’re] quite outraged, “says Susan McBride, president of the Bergen County Education Association, NJ.com. She says the expansion of the rollout on Wednesday was especially painful because teachers were” very much led to believe we were imminent in the hierarchy of vaccine recipients. Anthony Rosamilia, president of the Essex County Education Association, says it’s not just teachers who are upset. The “general public isn’t happy” that someone’s dangerous habit (read addiction) is making someone eligible for a vaccine for someone who chooses not to smoke, he says. But experts say it’s a smart move if the goal is to reduce hospital admissions and keep health officials from deteriorating. “Our goal is to save as many lives as possible,” said a representative of the health department, according to NBC New York. (Read more New Jersey stories.)