President Joe Biden Wants The States To Prioritize COVID-19 Vaccines For Teachers

Presiden AS Joe Biden. (Wikimedia Commons/Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff)

JAKARTA - President Joe Biden, on Tuesday, asked the US states to prioritize COVID-19 vaccination for teachers.

President Biden wants this done so that children can return to school quickly and safely. For this reason, he targets that each teacher must receive at least one dose of vaccine by the end of March.

With three vaccines now available, Biden said he believes there will be enough vaccines for every adult in the United States by the end of May.

President Biden said he was optimistic about achieving his goal of delivering 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in his first 100 days in office. However, he still urged Americans to keep wearing masks and apply social distancing.

“Today's announcement is a major step in our efforts to beat this pandemic. But I have to be honest. This fight is far from over", Biden said in a televised statement from the White House, as reported by Reuters.

President Biden's efforts to get educators vaccinated sooner have come amid controversy over the reopening of schools. President of the United States Teachers Federation, Randi Weingarten, said Biden's announcement was good news for everyone who wants learning in school.

President Joe Biden said the existence of three vaccine options made an increase in what he called a "national imperative" to reopen schools in the US. Along with increasing mental health problems and widening gaps due to distance learning.

He said more than 30 states have taken steps to ensure educators are vaccinated. And, He will use the full powers of the Federal Government to get other states to follow suit.

"My challenge is, we want every educator, school staff member, childcare worker in the state to receive at least one injection by the end of March", he said.

Although President Joe Biden enthusiastically encouraged most schools to open at the end of their first 100 days in office. However, it still has to wait for the approval of the USD 1.9 trillion rescue plan that is being discussed by the US Congress, which has a USD 130 billion fund for national schools.