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More Palm Beach County school employees receive COVID-19 vaccine

Thousands of school employees get Johnson & Johnson vaccine
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GREENACRES, Fla. — Teachers and staff at Palm Beach County schools were able to get vaccinated once again Sunday.

It is the latest effort by the School District of Palm Beach County in the fight against COVID-19.

Lines moved smoothly at John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres.

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It was one of the four walk-up vaccine sites put on by the school district.

The district received 5,000 vaccines of the single Johnson & Johnson shot. The clinic is also open for school employees at private and charter schools who qualify.

A total of 15,000 school employees were able to get the vaccine Saturday. Superintendent Dr. Donald Fennoy said having these clinics will not only help the fight against coronavirus, but bring area schools back to some sort of normalcy come the fall semester.

RELATED: All Florida teachers now eligible for vaccine but struggle to find appointments

Like thousands of others, Dionne Breaux was having a tough time getting vaccinated.

Assistant principal says getting vaccinated through district easier than Publix, CVS

"This is so much easier than Publix and CVS," said Breaux. "I cannot tell you how long I scoured trying to get an appointment. This was like, get up and go."

Breaux is the assistant principal at nearby Woodlands Middle School. She said the process was smooth and now feels much better.

"We work with kids every day," said Breaux. "We also, from my position, are exposed to parents and every single person -- stakeholder -- that might show up to the school. So, I am very thankful and now I feel protected."

Breaux said it's vital for educators to have priority to get the vaccine as the efforts to return to in-person learning continue.

"Our kids are suffering," said Breaux. "Public school is public school for a reason. Sometimes our kids need to see us face to face. So, this is going to give us an opportunity to open schools next year with our kids ready before us ready to learn."

Fennoy said if the state provides them with another batch of vaccines in the future, they will coordinate once again to have these walk-up vaccine clinics for school employees.