Director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle WalenskyRochelle Walensky The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Biden, GOP senators begin talks; Demons advance health care overnight: White House awards 0M to increase test at home | Schumer promises the Senate will take on a “bold” coronavirus bill Biden officials defend two-dose strategy amid fears of variants Biden officials defend two-dose strategy amid fears of variants MORE he stressed Wednesday that it is not required to vaccinate teachers to reopen schools safely, citing data from his agency to say it is possible to return to face-to-face classes as long as other precautions are taken.
“Vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite for the safe reopening of schools,” Walensky said during a press conference.
He added that while a CDC advisory committee has placed teachers in category “1B” for vaccines, the second priority group for vaccination, “I also want to be clear that there is growing evidence to suggest that schools they can reopen safely and that … safe reopening does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated to reopen safely “.
Comments are presented as there is a fierce debate about the return of students to face-to-face learning.
Some teacher unions call for teachers to be vaccinated before returning to school.
Republicans have taken advantage of the issue to argue that the Biden administration does not follow science and instead yields to its political allies by not urging an immediate return to face-to-face classes.
“Apparently, the discussion points of the Great Work have already shifted Dr. Fauci
Anthony FauciWatch Live: White House COVID-19 Response Team Informative Study: A Dose of Vaccine May Be Sufficient for People Who Had COVID-19 The Hill’s Morning Report – Posted by Facebook – Biden, the GOP senators begin talks; The others move MORE as the main source of the White House, “the Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell: Greene’s future on House committees after Republican Party meeting Republican lawmaker takes steps to remove Omar from Foreign Affairs panel House Republicans prepare for meeting of the conference in the middle of the civil war of the party MORE (Ky.) He said Wednesday on the Senate floor.
The White House argues that more funding is needed to allow schools to reopen safely.
“President Biden has been very clear that he wants schools to reopen and in fact stay open, and that means all schools have the equipment and resources to open safely,” he said. Jeff Zients
Jeff Zients Overnight Health Care: Biden Calls on Democrats and Urges Big COVID-19 Relief Bill | The White House says some COVID-19 vaccines will be sent directly to pharmacies The White House announces that some vaccines against COVID-19 will be sent directly to pharmacies in the press administration of Georgia and Senate senators., added the White House coronavirus response coordinator after Walensky’s comments during the press conference.
“Congress must do its part to make sure we can safely reopen schools and keep them open,” he added, calling on Congress to approve Biden’s coronavirus response plan, which includes $ 170 billion. of additional dollars for items such as tests in schools, better ventilation and allow for smaller class sizes.
Republicans note that Congress already approved $ 82 billion for schools in the package approved in December.
The CDC said in an article last week that there is “little evidence” of widespread coronavirus transmission in schools if proper precautions are taken, such as universal masking, extending students and ensuring adequate ventilation.