Woodstock School Workers Receive COVID-19 Vaccine

Education workers in Woodstock received dose one of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Thursday.

Day Kimball Healthcare hosted the clinic, expecting to vaccinate about 230 people.

“This feels great. It is like a sign that we are starting to head back to normal," said Robert Ives, a teacher at Woodstock Middle School.

Superintendent of Woodstock Public Schools, Viktor Toth, said the vaccine is helping the district reopen schools full time.

“We are expecting to reopen our elementary school Monday, March 8 and our middle school, we are hoping and aiming for March 22," said Toth.

Toth said that about 96% of teachers indicated in a survey that they wanted the vaccine.

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Lisa Foisy, an educator of 30 years, was thankful to receive her COVID-19 vaccine.

"This way I won't feel the nervousness every day of being close to the kids," said Foisy.

She said it has been a difficult year with the students in a hybrid model of learning.

“It has been very tough to not have the kids full time and try to get them to stay focused when they are online," Foisy said.

Statewide, the governor's office is asking for patience from school personnel. Vaccine supply is limited, but the goal is for education workers to receive one dose by the end of the month.

As vaccinations continue across Connecticut, there are now three COVID-19 vaccines. The state started receiving shipments of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday.

The Woodstock teachers and school staff received the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, but several teachers told NBC Connecticut that they would have been happy no matter which shot they received.

"Any one of the shots. The best shot is the one that is available to you," said Ives.

Public health leaders say that all of the COVID-19 vaccine options offer life-saving protection.

“While many folks might have preferences about which vaccine they get, I would really encourage people to try and find the soonest appointment they can and take whatever vaccine is going to allow you to get vaccinated as soon as possible," said Summer McGee, the dean of the school of health sciences at the University of New Haven.