Mayor Lori Lightfoot pushes vaccines for kids and gives city workers time off for shots, but CPS criticized for not doing enough
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Chicago Public Schools said they canceled class next Friday to give families an extra opportunity to get their children vaccinated, a move that received some praise but also pushback for not doing enough to increase access to the vaccine.
In addition to closing schools on Nov. 12, Chicago city employees will be let off work two hours early next that day to get a vaccine shot or booster, an effort city officials said is aimed at increasing shots ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Chicago’s sudden school cancellation next week has drawn concern that it would make childcare difficult for some families and hurt substitute teachers who had signed up to teach on Friday, the day after the Veterans Day holiday.
CPS CEO Pedro Martinez said canceling school was a “difficult decision” and acknowledged it’s “creating challenges for our parents” but said it’s a “key investment” in getting students vaccinated.
Lightfoot said the Park District and libraries will help “provide supports” for childcare.
“The most important thing is we get these children vaccinated,” Lightfoot said.
Other cities are taking steps to boost vaccination rates among children as the age eligibility expands. New York Mayor Bill De Blasio recently announced that more than 1,000 schools serving children 5-11 will host vaccine sites next week.
Chicago public health commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said there will be over 200 vaccination sites across the city on Nov. 12 but did not offer more specifics. City officials touted local pharmacies, family health care providers, mobile school-based events at some Chicago Public Schools as places where people can get vaccinated.
Jesse Sharkey, the Chicago Teachers Union president, said in a statement to union members that he welcomes the district’s acknowledgment of the importance for parents and families to vaccinate their children.
Having an additional paid day off is also a relief for educators and other school employees who have faced daily challenges in keeping students safe and secure during the continued pandemic, Sharkey’s letter said.
But, Sharkey said, the district needs to continue to address the needs of schools that were already struggling before the pandemic.
