JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Health in Duval County will provide the COVID-19 vaccine for Duval County Public Schools employees who are 65 years of age or older, as well as all medical personnel, as early as this week, according to the Superintendent Dr. Diana Greene.
Greene sent a message last week, saying the health department will give priority scheduling to the school district’s employees who fall in those two groups.
All eligible employees will be contacted by the health department via email to be voluntarily vaccinated at an undisclosed location. Eligible staff will be contacted directly and are not required to contact the city’s appointment line to schedule their shots.
Greene said employees and health care professionals must wait to receive their individual appointment time from FDOH before going to the vaccination location.
The superintendent’s message comes as students and teachers in Duval County get ready to return from winter break this week.
According to the school district’s COVID-19 dashboard, there have been more than 730 total cases since the first day of school in August, including more than 220 among staff.
Right now the focus is on giving the vaccine to these priority groups, but the superintendent said the district will continue to work with the health department in the future to make sure all employees have access to the vaccine when it is available.