At Clear Creek Amana High School students have returned to full-time with options of virtual, hybrid, or full-time in person. The problem is teachers are becoming more at risk of getting COVID since they are surrounded by more students and it is harder to enforce social distancing. One of the nurses in the CCA district Kathy Campbell said that right now they can send 60 staff members to the pharmacy every week to get their COVID vaccine. To be eligible to get the vaccine you have to be over 65 (or have an underlying condition) and or be at high risk.

Ms. Campbell had stated, “No one has expressed concern about not being able to get the vaccine, but many/most of us wish the process would/could go faster.”

To go along with this, Ms. Campbell said on February 25th the CCA high school had their first vaccine clinic with the Moderna. They were able to get the vaccine from working with Johnson County Health Department and TownCrest Pharmacy and they were able to vaccinate 30 staff members. The next clinic will be held on March 3rd and they are planning to vaccinate 200 staff members that want it and anybody that works in the CCA district can receive it. Then towards the end of March, the staff members will receive their second dosage of the Moderna.

English teacher Marissa Moore spoke about going back to school full time while not having the vaccine.
“I personally did not feel safe returning to school time without a vaccine. My unsafe feeling was rooted in my worry for older teachers and elderly people in the community. As a young, healthy individual, I was worried about being an asymptomatic carrier and passing it to someone who was at-risk (OR who has an at-risk family member at home).” Mrs. Moore did mention though she will be receiving the vaccine at the schools next clinic.

One thing many people are probably wondering is if the vaccine will be required. According to the Mayo Clinic, vaccines are offered to people over the age of sixteen. Ms. Campbell had said something along the lines of that it won’t probably be required in Iowa because Iowa has “medical immunization exemption alternatives” for those who are against having any sort of vaccines. With looking more into this according to the Iowa Department of Health you can only get this exemption if it deeply affects your religious beliefs.

Mrs. Moore and Ms. Campbell had a little something else to add. Ms. Campbell mentioned how she is very proud of the district and schools were being the safest and healthiest while in the midst of a pandemic. Mrs. Moore mentioned how she would like to remind people to “think beyond themselves” and that you put your selflessness before your selfishness.