SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — Tuesday, March 16th marks one year since schools across the Palmetto State were closed to in-person learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Since then, many things have changed and students are heading back to the classroom in part due to the vaccine rollout.
In the past few weeks, it was announced teachers and staff would be allowed to get the coronavirus vaccine as a part of the Phase 1b group. News 19 checked in with several school districts to see how the vaccination efforts for teachers and staff are going so far.
Lexington School District Two
Dr. Nicolas Wade is the new superintendent for Lexington School District Two.
"I think the most significant thing that we've seen in the pandemic and how it's impacted public education is it's really compounded already a number of deficits that were already prevalent in public education," said Dr. Wade.
This includes topics such as learning loss, technology and mental health.
"If there was a positive to how the pandemic has affected public education, I say it's because it did shine a light on all these different things and now I would argue whether it's leaders or board members or politicians... where it may have just been a talking point that could be brushed to the side, it's really on the forefront," explained Dr. Wade.
With additional money coming from COVID relief bills, Dr. Wade believes it's helping address some of the issues.
With the coronavirus vaccine being administered, it's changing the day to day feeling for people psychologically.
"Look at state after state, everyone is really talking right now about reopening in full. People are talking about the Fourth of July," said Dr. Wade. "It's crazy that now the conversation about normal coming back into it as a realistic goal or possibility."
Lexington School District Two has been working with Lexington Medical Center to have a vaccination clinic for teachers and staff next Monday on March 22nd. Staff will have time to work around to get the vaccine since the district is doing remote learning.
The superintendent believes the district employees deserve to get the vaccine.
"I think by having educators being able to receive the vaccine, I think it kind of goes back to that psychological piece because now by having the ability to receive that vaccine and now I think also changes the conversation internally within the district about what does next year look like," explained Dr. Wade. "That face-to-face piece now becomes more of a likelihood."
The district says three quarters of their employees are interested in getting the vaccine.
"I think my biggest hope is being able to communicate what August 2021 will be for everyone," said Dr. Wade. "I am optimistic that it's going to be face-to-face and that if we're able to get back to that normal, we can really talk about moving forward in terms of programing, support and other types of opportunities for all of our students and staff."
Lexington County School District One
The school district tells the Vaccine Team they partnered with Lexington Medical Center for a vaccination clinic last week.
More than a thousand employees have been vaccinated through the healthcare system as of last Thursday. They say more appointments are scheduled for this week.
Other employees are also scheduling appointments with local pharmacies.
Saluda County School District
Saluda County School District has partnered with Self Regional to give staff the vaccine.
Last Thursday, 200 staff members got their first dose at a vaccination clinic at the high school. Law enforcement and other members were able to get the vaccine at the event as well.
The second dose clinic will be on April 8th.
Newberry County School District
Looking at Newberry County County School District, they began vaccinating employees last week. The clinics were held at a school in the district on a day students did not learn in-person.
So far the total is more than 300 employees.
The second dose will be administered March 31st.
Fairfield County School District
Dr. J.R. Green, the superintendent with Fairfield County School District, says they've partnered with Eau Claire Health Cooperative to provide three vaccination sites to help vaccinate employees. The first doses will begin this Friday and the second dose will be April 16th.
The sites are Eau Claire Health in Jenkinsville, Eau Claire Health in Ridgeway and Eau Claire Health in Winnsboro.
Dr. Green expects at least more than half employees to get the vaccine. He's thankful for their partnership with Eau Claire Health Cooperative and their goal is to have around 90% of their staff vaccinated.
"We are very excited when they moved educators up to the 1b category," said Dr. Green. "We knew it would provide our faculty and staff with an added sense of comfort knowing that they were able to receive the vaccine and mitigate the likelihood that they would come into contact with COVID-19."
The superintendent went onto say, "This whole vaccine effort makes it so much more likely that we can effectively operate schools as close to what used to be normal as possible come next year," explained Dr. Green. "This gives us an added level of comfort knowing that our faculty and staff members would have been vaccinated by the time we get to next year."
Kershaw County School District
For Kershaw County, school employees have been able to get vaccinated from Kershaw Health.
Last week in two days, about 800 employees were vaccinated. Second doses will begin April 1st and April 2nd.
Orangeburg County School District
Orangeburg county schools will hold an employee vaccine clinic Wednesday, March 17th and Thursday, March 18th. Another clinic will be on April 14th and 15th.
Calhoun County School District
Calhoun County Schools offered vaccinations for school employees this past Friday, March 12. The clinic was held at the district office.
Last Wednesday, the district held a community vaccine clinic at its high school.
South Carolina Department of Education
We reached out to the South Carolina Department of Education to check in with the vaccine effort across the state.
The department says, "Vaccines have and will stabilize school operations by preventing staff quarantines. We look forward to welcoming students back for more face to face instruction in the coming weeks."