Biden: "All US School Staff Must Receive at Least One COVID-19 Vaccine Dose by Next Month"

Measures to Aim for Opening All Grades Within 100 Days of Inauguration
US Teachers' Union Also Welcomes "Good News for All Students"

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden announced that all school staff in the United States must receive at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by next month, designating school staff as priority recipients. This measure is known to be part of Biden's pledge to achieve the full reopening of all grade levels in the U.S. within his first 100 days in office.

According to foreign media including CNN, on the 2nd (local time), President Biden stated during a government briefing on COVID-19 vaccinations held at the White House, "I hope that all teachers, school staff, and childcare workers across the United States receive at least one dose of the vaccine by the end of next month," and emphasized, "We will designate school staff as priority recipients of the vaccine in all regions of the U.S. More than 30 states have already designated school staff as priority recipients."

President Biden said, "It is a national duty to safely return children to classrooms as soon as possible," and added, "I promised to achieve the normal reopening of all grade levels in the U.S. by my 100th day in office last December, and I will make sure to fulfill it." He further explained, "The educational gap has been widening every day since schools were closed, and the ongoing remote learning is not equally accessible to all students."

The full reopening of schools in the U.S. was previously attempted forcibly by former President Donald Trump before the November election last year but was canceled due to strong opposition from teachers' unions and parents. However, since the Biden administration took office, vaccination rates have rapidly increased, and daily confirmed cases, which had hovered around 300,000, have dropped to around 50,000, leading to growing calls for full reopening.

Regarding this statement, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the largest teachers' union in the U.S., which had opposed full reopening without vaccination until now, also expressed welcome. Immediately after President Biden's speech, the AFT called it "good news for everyone who wants in-person learning at schools."