60% of Du Quoin educators sign up for vaccine

About 60% of the faculty and staff working in Du Quoin Unit District 300 have signed up to be vaccinated for COVID-19, Superintendent Matt Hickam reported last week.

The Perry County Health Department asked each school district to coordinate the sign-up process for its employees, and Hickam said health department officials gave District 300 "a pat on the back" for having so many people sign up.

He said depending on the availability of the vaccine, it could take a mont to six weeks before those vaccinations are completed.

A 60% vaccination rate means 40% of the staff could theoretically not be vaccinated, although people sometimes change their minds later in the process. Hickam said 60% is enough to allow the district to discuss eventually doing more in-person instruction.

"I don't see this as being a roadblock, instead, this is a positive check mark for us," he said. "Once we have all employees who want to be vaccinated done, and perhaps the rate of community spread (of the virus) will go down, then we can look at other factors."