WEST CHESTER (March 3, 2021) – State Senator Carolyn Comitta applauded today’s announcement from Governor Wolf and the bipartisan COVID-19 Joint Task Force that educators and school staff will be prioritized in receiving the recently approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Comitta, who serves on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, released the following statement:
“Today marks a significant step forward in our efforts to better position Pennsylvania communities to fully recover from this pandemic. Vaccinating our educators and school staff is paramount in protecting public health as more and more schools return to full, in-person instruction.
Prioritizing educators and school staff, beginning with those who are at high-risk and in contact with vulnerable students and populations, will not only support all our progress in reducing cases, but it will also advance our economic recovery by allowing many parents to get back to work full-time.
This is an extremely promising development for education, for families, for our economy, and for public health. And it is the result of bringing together key stakeholders and working across party lines to make collaborative and results-oriented decisions.
I remain committed to working with all parties, including the Chester County legislative delegation, the Chester County Intermediate Unit, the Chester County Commissioners, the Chester County Health Department, the National Guard, and other partners, to support the rollout of this effort.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of the onset of the pandemic, I continue to work diligently to increase our vaccine supply, and ensure vaccines are available to every eligible Chester Countian who wants one.
While we continue to make progress in ramping up vaccine production, overcoming obstacles to vaccine deployment, and reducing cases, I urge everyone to remain vigilant in our efforts to stop the spread of this deadly virus.
Despite the positive signs, now is not the time to take COVID-19 or your safety for granted. Please keep wearing a mask, washing your hands, and maintaining social distance.”
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