By NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said some employees in her district that are high risk have already received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"We did get to schedule some vaccine on Monday for most at risk staff that wanted the vaccine," Couchman said. "We sent out a survey asking if they wanted it. We are not requiring the vaccine, but if you wanted it and what risk factors you had, how old you were, if you had comorbidity risk factors. We were able to vaccinate everyone that wanted the vaccine that was high risk."
There were also a handful of employees that work in the schools that are not technically solely USD 313 employees that were vaccinated, too.
"We also opened it up to our RCEC, which is our Reno County Educational Co-Op," Couchman said. "In Buhler, we took some of the at-risk faculty from there. Although they're not actually employed by Buhler, they're employed by RCEC, which is our special ed Co-Op. I would say, maybe 80 Buhler staff members were, in addition to some RCEC staff members."
Buhler was first to get a date set, but the plan is to vaccinate some employees from each of the county's school districts.
"Joy was really the word to be used," Couchman said. "I've never seen so many people so excited about coming and getting a shot in the arm. I can't tell you how thankful we are to Reno County Health Department, because they did make education one of their priorities."
Couchman said she doesn't know the schedule, but she presumes other districts will be setting up clinics this week for their high risk groups.