NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — New York City's teachers union has announced a streamlined plan to help its members get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Alarmed by reports of expired vaccines being thrown out, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew announced Sunday the union is working with private health care providers to get unused doses into the arms of his frontline educators.
"Our job is people want the vaccine, we want to get them to a place that has a vaccine," Mulgrew said.
School staff received emails Sunday explaining the sign-up process. Members can register with the union and be directed to health care facilities offering the vaccine anywhere in the five boroughs.
Mulgrew said they are prioritizing those teaching in person, with the hope that parents will feel more comfortable sending their children back to school.
"Close to 70% of the parents have chosen not to send their children to school because they are not comfortable, and we understand that because of the fear, so this is our way to get through the whole thing," Mulgrew said.
But he concedes in order for this to work, New York needs more than the 300,000 weekly doses it's currently getting from the federal government.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Friday it will take until mid-April to get everyone eligible vaccinated unless the federal government increases the supply.
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