Teachers and education workers in Windsor-Essex are calling on the local health unit to give them an opportunity to get vaccinated against COVID-19 immediately.
Under provincial guidelines teachers and other people who cannot do their jobs from home are in phase two of the vaccine rollout plan.
However, local education unions with the public board said this leaves teachers vulnerable and creates the potential for another school shutdown.
"If we, as a community, want to see schools remain open, and avoid another pivot to remote learning, then action must be taken today, not in a few months," said a release from the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation District 9 President Erin Roy and Greater Essex Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario President Mario Spagnuolo.
According to the unions, some areas of the province like Niagara and Guelph have already started vaccinating school workers.
At this time, the Windsor Essex County Health Unit has not had any formal discussions on changing the priority groups.
"It would be through the Medical Officer of Health and the prioritization committee but at this time we're just following the provincial guidelines," said CEO and Chief Nursing Officer Theresa Marentette.
The health unit is currently focused on vaccinating seniors 80 and up, frontline health care workers in community settings, and the homeless population. The pharmacy pilot-project is also focused on vaccinating individuals aged 60-64.
To date, there have been 54,460 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Windsor-Essex.
