Expert: Teacher vaccinations 'essential' for school reopening
Meanwhile, among the central questions in vaccinations right now is when educators across the country will be able to get their shots.
Emergency physician Dr. Leana Wen told CNN on Sunday that teacher vaccinations are crucial when it comes to reopening school -- differing in opinion from school reopening guidance released last week by the CDC.
The agency's guidelines did not list vaccination as a "key" strategy for opening schools, focusing instead on measures like masks and physical distancing among others. Vaccinations for staff and teachers are "an additional layer of protection," Walensky previously said.
On Sunday, Walensky told CNN that while vaccination for teachers is not a prerequisite for reopening schools, current CDC guidance does specify that those who are at higher risk should have virtual options.
"I'm a strong advocate of teachers receiving their vaccinations, but we don't believe it's a prerequisite for schools to reopen," she said.
But Wen called teacher vaccinations "essential."
"If we want students to be in school for in-person learning, the least that we can do is to protect the health and well-being of our teachers -- especially as in so many parts of the country, teachers are already being made to go back to school in poorly-ventilated, cramped areas, with many students who may not always be masking and practicing physical distancing," Wen said.
