Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf has officially bumped up teachers to the front of the line for COVID vaccines. He made the announcement at 11am Wednesday.
He says members of his pandemic task force are allocating the state's entire first round of Johnson & Johnson doses to teachers, janitors, cafeteria workers, bus drivers - and other school employees starting this week.
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"This new single-dose vaccine adds another layer of support to get students and teachers back in the classroom," Gov. Wolf said. "Teachers and staff who work with our children will be vaccinated, and I commend the task force and all of our partners for their tremendous commitment to their schools and communities."
But even within that large group, Governor Wolf wants to vaccinate the most vulnerable first.
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Wolf says he wants to reopen schools. That's why he's moving the group into phase 1A.
The state expects to receive about 94,000 Johnson & Johnson doses this week. There are roughly 150,000 teachers across Pennsylvania.
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"Everyone who's already eligible under phase 1A of the COVID vaccine distribution plan will remain eligible and we'll continue to distribute Pfizer and Moderna vaccines as swiftly and efficiently as possible," said Wolf.