January 18, 2021 For Immediate Release
Through a collaboration with Baltimore City Public Schools, Johns Hopkins Medicine will begin COVID-19 vaccinations this week of nearly 500 teachers and school staff already working at in-person learning sites. Vaccinations for additional groups of 500 employees each week are planned for future weeks.
Under a plan developed in concert with the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD), prioritized employees working at in-person learning sites will indicate their interest in receiving the vaccine. Up to 500 of those prioritized employees will be randomly selected to be vaccinated starting Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
The first wave of vaccinations will prioritize staff who have already been working in-person including meal service workers, teachers, custodians, and administrative personnel. Following this week, Johns Hopkins Medicine and City Schools will continue providing additional vaccinations in subsequent weeks to groups of 500 employees working through our prioritized list.
This critical collaboration builds upon City Schools' comprehensive plans to safely host additional in-person learning opportunities while combatting the spread of COVID-19 in Baltimore City. These efforts include daily, on-site testing for staff and students who show symptoms, and implementation of the CDC’s five mitigation strategies for schools.
City Schools will host two virtual town halls this week that will include information about optional in-person opportunities and the district's health protocols. A staff-only town hall will be held Wednesday, January 20 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and include representatives from Johns Hopkins Medicine. The event is not open to the public.
A Virtual Family Town Hall about second-semester in-person learning will be at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 21 on Facebook and Twitter (@baltcityschools) and City Schools TV on YouTube.
To learn more about City Schools' plan for optional in-person opportunities in the second semester, visit www.baltimorecityschools.org.