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Local educators advocate for priority status in COVID-19 vaccines

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BATON ROUGE - Priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine is quickly becoming the focus of schools as the number of coronavirus cases rise.

Ponchatoula High School teacher, Selisa Hue, says she wants first dibs.

"The day that I can get it I will stand in line to get it," she said.

Hue believes others should be vaccinated first, like medical professionals, but says teachers should be somewhere on the priority list.

"The frontline workers and people in nursing homes need it first, but as soon as possible we want to get that out to teachers that need to take the vaccine," Hue said.

Health officials say those in hospitals, nursing homes, and long-term care facilities will be among the first to receive vaccinations.

Dr. Tia Mills with the Louisiana Association of Educators believes the vaccine will also make it safer for schools across Louisiana to go back to in-person learning.

"As educators, we should be considered at the top of the list. Not to be compared to doctors, nurses, or other health care workers, but we are definitely considered front-line workers as well," said Mills.

The head custodian for Ponchatoula High School, Timothy Richardson, agrees.

As the school's first line of defense against COVID-19, he says he too would get the vaccine.

"I'm willing and ready to take the vaccine, get rid of this coronavirus, so we can go back to somewhat normal," Richardson said.

Right now it's unclear when vaccines will be available for teachers.

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