Hays CISD seeks to administer COVID-19 vaccine to all employees with guidance from the state
HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Hays Consolidated Independent School District is in the early stages of planning to give all its employees the COVID-19 vaccine in partnership with the Hays County Local Health Department.
But all direction is coming from the state. Many feel it can’t come soon enough.
“When am I going to be safe, and how do I fight that?,” Ashley Dobbins, a teacher at Hays High School, said. “It could be months.”
At times, Dobbins is weighed down by the what-ifs.
“What if, I still have kids who are virtual next year,” she said.
Dobbins said she’s had no luck getting a COVID-19 vaccine so far.
“I’m not super high risk — I’m young,” she said. “But, it’s just been such a slow rollout.”
Dobbins told KXAN she signed up to get a vaccine through the district as soon as possible.
“We’re around a population that doesn’t always show symptoms, so we don’t always know,” she said.
According to Hays CISD, it sent out an email to employees on Tuesday regarding vaccination planning.
“I know with the names and the people that we’re looking at, know that we can have a turn around instantaneously,” Jeri Skrocki, director of safety and security with Hays CISD, said. “We’re working on figuring out what that flow will look like in individual buildings, what areas we are going to designate.”
Skrocki said they’re putting together a list of all employees who want it to be ready when doses are available. But the health department said it won’t happen overnight.
“Internally we’re looking at a vaccine plan, where we can take care of the school population and staff, after we take care of the 1Bs,” Mike Jones with Hays County Emergency Operations said.
Dobbins is thankful for the proactive planning, hoping to be reunited safely with all of her students in-person soon.
“It takes like a weight off of us,” Dobbins said. “I feel like we’re getting closer.”
The district said it does plan on vaccinating teachers on campus afterschool when doses are available. The Hays County Local Health Department has still not released specifics as to how soon this might happen.
