IRMO, S.C. — Teachers and staff in Lexington Richland School District 5 were given the opportunity to receive their first COVID-19 vaccine Friday.
The school district partnered with Lexington Medical Center to allow any staff who wanted a shot an opportunity to get it.
“This is a milestone event for District 5," says LexRich5 Superintendent Dr. Christina Melton. "We have our partner here of Lexington Medical, our school nurses are taking care of this for us. It’s giving us an opportunity to offer all of our staff the opportunity to be vaccinated if they choose!”
The district held an E-learning day so teachers had the opportunity to line up at Dutch Fork High School to get vaccinated.
“I’m so excited because I feel like this is going to take us where we need to be to be back where we can be all together again," Nursery Road Elementary School teacher Lisa Brooks told Street Squad. “It makes it so easy for us to be able to be here, and there was an E-learning day - that was taken care of in that we didn’t have to log in with our kids we gave them work to do. But also I feel like they created a space and are doing this again for our second vaccination so they want to encourage us to do this so they made everything possible so we could.”
Brooks told Street Squad her plans for when she's fully vaccinated. "I'll be able to see my dad again, and my stepmom. I haven't seen them in a year and a half. So it makes me comfortable to see people I haven't seen- family members... but also so I'll feel safer around my students, and adults and kids alike."
Patricia Powell is a school nurse in district 5 and says when she's fully vaccinated, she wants to travel. "I've been keeping myself shuttered in because of the fact that I'm a nurse and I didn't want to get anybody sick and I don't want anybody getting me sick. So, I want to do a little bit of traveling," Powell continues, "you know, getting out, enjoying the outdoors and feeling better being in the community."
Lexington Medical will be back in three weeks for the same setup for the second round of shots.
“We’re looking forward to finishing this academic year strong, with a sense of normalcy that we can restore but also with respect for how we’re operated during this time. It’s been so unique," Dr. Melton told Street Squad.