(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Jim Banks (IN-03), member of the House Education and Labor Committee called on the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) to provide teachers with the option of early COVID-19 vaccination.
ACIP convenes at 3:00 pm ET today to discuss the phased allocation of COVID-19 vaccines.
Schools in Kentucky, New York City, and across the United States are closing again due to staffing shortages caused by exposure to COVID-19.
“When schools closed last spring, children lost educational gains and their mental and physical health suffered. Our kids are essential and so are their teachers,” said Rep. Banks. “The CDC must prioritize children’s wellbeing—which means doing everything possible to let teachers do their irreplaceable work safely and effectively.
Congressman Banks has strongly advocated for in-person schooling since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, Rep. Banks and Rep. Tom Tiffany (WI-07) introduced the Reopen Our Schools Acttoincentivize schools to provide in-person instruction.
Rep. Banks outlined the shortcomings of remote learning in an Op-ed for Fox News.
