Psaki clarifies how Biden will encourage states to prioritize the vaccination of teachers
During the White House briefing on Wednesday, press secretary Jen Psaki explained how President Biden plans to get states to meet his goal of having educators and school staff receive at least one COVID-19 shot by the end of March.
Video transcript
- The president's goal to vaccinate educators by the end of this month, last month, he made it very clear that, as you well know, it's up to states to determine how to prioritize vaccines. And you reminded us that even though there are federal recommendations, the process is not to mandate states to prioritize anyone. What has changed between then and now? And what power does President Biden have to direct states to prioritize teachers?
JEN PSAKI: Well, first, 30 states are already doing this. So that is the majority of states in the country who are treating teachers as essential workers. And that's what the president is asking, what he is recommending. We, of course-- the-- right now, the teachers will have access through pharmacies. That is, the supply that goes to pharmacies is through the federal supply. And so that is an area where we can work through a program that we have instituted to ensure that teachers are prioritized.
- So today, you've said that he is challenging states, he's asking states, he's urging states, but yesterday the president said he is directing states. So is it just a firm request? Or is he using some mechanism and authority to direct them?
JEN PSAKI: Well, again, he is using a federal program that is works-- that is distributing vaccines to pharmacies across the country to ensure that teachers are prioritized. It is not-- it remains-- it does not-- it remains the same case it's been, where it is not a prerequisite for schools to open. It is just a-- it is one of the mitigation steps that can be taken for teachers to be vaccinated, but he believes that teachers should be treated as essential workers.
There is, of course, the power of the bully pulpit. There is the power of the pharmacy program that the federal government is instituting. And certainly, as the President of the United States, the leader of the country, he is conveying, this is important.
It's not a Republican or a Democratic issue whether or not our kids are behind. We have all seen the impact on mental health. We've seen the impact on kids being-- doing Zoom from their kitchen tables and kitchen counters. And everybody wants-- the president wants kids to be back in school. This is part of the effort to ease that.
