McNeill lauds plan to vaccinate PreK-12 educators, staff
Continues push for statewide registry
Rep. Jeanne McNeill March 3, 2021 | 2:42 PM
HARRISBURG, March 3 – State Rep. Jeanne McNeill, D-Lehigh, is pleased that Gov. Tom Wolf announced today that Pennsylvania teachers will be added to the state’s vaccine distribution plan but continues to push for statewide vaccine registry.
“Today’s announcement is great news for our educators and our students who long for a return to the traditional classroom,” said McNeill. “Everyone wants to see our lives return to some resemblance of normal, and this plan will enable us to do so safely.”
McNeill acknowledged that the state’s vaccine distribution rollout has been frustrating to date, and maintains steadfast on her call for a statewide vaccine registry.
“The governor’s plan to vaccine the estimated 200,000 individuals entrusted with direct interaction and education of our PreK-12 students is certainly a calculated and attainable initiative,” McNeill said. “However, we must continue to work toward better streamlining the vaccine distribution process for others who seek to be vaccinated.”
According to McNeill, the state has also faced issues with regard to vaccine supply that’s added more challenges to the entire process during the roll-out process.
“We’ve gotten a very limited supply from the federal government,” said McNeill. “As the amount of available vaccines increases, so will the available appointments. However, if the registration process remains the same, I worry people will get so frustrated they’ll stop trying to get vaccinated. House Bill 633, which would legally require this, is in the House Health Committee. It’s my hope the Health Department and administration next work to create a statewide registry.”