LOUISVILLE, Ky. —
Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer joined health officials to provide updates on COVID-19 vaccination efforts at the Broadbent Arena LouVax site.
This is the fourth week the site is in operation and the first full week that Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) employees could receive their vaccine.
Jefferson Co. remains in Phase 1B of the COVID-19 vaccine effort. This includes educators, first responders, corrections officers, essential utility workers, anyone age 70 or older.
Mayor Fischer opened the update by expressing optimism in the efforts as health officials are expecting an increase of vaccine supplies in the coming weeks.
“It’s going to take some time, but I am optimistic that it’s coming,” Fischer said.
The mayor put emphasis on the role of volunteers at the site. Over 4,000 volunteers have been available to work at the site and 1,500 have worked on site.
"Volunteers put pep in our steps," Fischer said.
At this time, over 66,000 people in the Louisville Metro area have received the vaccine. Of those people, 16,000 doses have been administered at the Broadbent Arena site.
Louisville Metro Public Health Interim Medical Director, Dr. Sarah Beth Hartlage, said that over 10,000 teachers in Louisville have received their first dose of the vaccine and 6,600 JCPS teachers were vaccinated in the first week.
In Phase 1B of the effort, teachers are being vaccinated in alphabetical order starting with elementary school staff and then to middle and high school staff.
All elementary school staff are expected to be vaccinated by today and JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio spoke about his excitement with the effort.
"Each week, we get closer and closer to getting our JCPS staff vaccinated," said Pollio. "I am pleased that our state has prioritized teachers."
Dr. Pollio said he expects all educators in the public school district to be vaccinated by Feb. 9 ending with the JCPS Central Office staff being the last to receive it.
The superintendent noted that the coming school board meeting held Feb. 2 will contain important information concerning getting back to in-person school.
Pollio said that a back-to-school plan may potentially be brought to the school board by mid-February.
“We look forward to bring that plan to our board members over the next couple weeks,” Pollio said.
Additionally, Pollio said his ideal opinion for a return to in-person class is to have elementary school students back in the classroom five days a week and have middle and high school students on an "aggressive" hybrid model.
However, he noted that he is taking feedback of board members and teachers and following the state guidelines on getting schools reopened safely.
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