The majority of educators in Michigan are in the process of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a survey from the Michigan Education Association.
The online survey of MEA members found that 63.1%, of responding Michigan school employees are either vaccinated or are in the process of being vaccinated against the virus, according to a news release from MEA.
The remainder of the more than 22,500 educators who responded to the survey are still waiting their turn to get their first dose. About 90% of all educators want to receive the vaccine, the survey said.
“Our members see the vaccine as a critical component to reopening classrooms across the state, along with continued mitigation measures like masks, social distancing and sanitization,” MEA President Paula Herbart said. “They are following the science and are embracing the vaccines’ potential for protecting their health and safety, as well as that of their students.
“While thousands of educators are still waiting to be scheduled for vaccination because of the short supply of the vaccine, these results show a great deal of progress,” Herbart said.
The majority of districts across the state have returned to some form of in-person learning. Kalamazoo Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools are among the only larger districts in Michigan yet to set a date for returning to the classroom.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer urged all districts to get kids back in school by March 1 due to falling grades and the negative affects on students’ mental health.
Half of the teachers union members surveyed have already received their first dose of the vaccine, with another 6.7% scheduled to do so and 6.4% of respondents saying they have already received both doses.
Of those responding, 6.9% said they do not plan to get the vaccine. Another 6.3% said they are unsure, according to the release from MEA.
Frustration with the vaccine rollout is felt among many educators across the state. About 20% of educators have not heard directly from their employer about arrangements to get the vaccine by their local health department, the survey said. The majority of those who have received shots or are scheduled to do so, about 60.7% of survey respondents, secured their appointment on their own, rather than through their employer.
Vaccination of educators in Michigan is moving along faster than it is nationally, according to the release. A recent survey by the National Education Association, of 3,305 members, found that just 18% of educators have been vaccinated nationwide.
“The state of educator vaccination in Michigan is much better than what we’re hearing from many other states, including many where educators have not been prioritized to receive the vaccine at all,” Herbart said. “We appreciate Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s decisive leadership in making PreK-12 school employees eligible for the vaccine and working to tackle the supply and distribution issues that many are experiencing.
“The governor’s words and actions show her commitment to keeping students and educators safe and continuing to make saving lives the top priority,” she said.
Vaccination rates vary among counties across Michigan, from a high of 88.1% vaccinated or scheduled in Marquette County to a low of 25.6% in Washtenaw County, the survey found.
Teachers across the state share in their concern for safety when it comes to in-person learning, with 42.2% very concerned, the survey said. The overall intensity of concern has decreased since November, when a MEA survey found that 56% were very concerned about returning to the classroom, the release said.
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