Teachers, Staff At Union Public Schools Start Receiving COVID-19 Vaccine

Some teachers and staff over the age of 65 at Union Public Schools have now gotten their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This week Sand Springs Public Schools, Tulsa Public Schools and now Union, all started seeing their employees get the vaccine, but distribution of the vaccine can be different for school districts. Jenks Public Schools, for example, said it does not know when teachers and staff will start receiving the shots. 

Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine was administered Friday to some teachers and staff at Union Public Schools who are 65 and older. 

"I'm very excited to get the vaccine,” Donna Thomas said.  

Thomas works in the transportation department as a driver's assistant for busses with special needs students.   

"We really can't social distance on a school bus and so we needed it. We need the vaccine to keep us safe. So we can stay in school,” Thomas said.  

She had her own close call with the virus, when her husband had COVID-19, and spent five days in the hospital. He is now recovering at home. 

"So far, I've been negative,” Thomas said. “So I hope I stay that way, and I feel really good today that I got my vaccine." 

About 70 employees at Union received their first dose of the vaccine Friday, after the Caring Van brought it to the district's clinic and several other school sites.  

Union's Executive Director of Human Resources Jay Loegering said the plan is for 150 employees to have the vaccine before the end of January. 

"These people on the list, everybody 65 and over, they had enough vaccines to do all of them. And so, if they wanted it, they were eligible to get it,” Loegering said.

The Tulsa Health Department said it is working with school districts to coordinate vaccine plans. THD said some districts will receive their vaccines from the Caring Van, and others will receive them through Saint Francis. 

Jenks Public Schools is one of those districts working with St. Francis. The hospital said it will have teachers and staff go through a drive-thru location to receive the vaccine, by appointment only.