Surrey Schools superintendent Jordan Tinney says teachers in the district are to start receiving the COVID-19 vaccine this week.

Tinney tweeted on Tuesday that vaccinations would start March 24, with dozens of schools included in the districtB次元官网网址檚 priority areas.

He said the hope is all school-based staff would have their first dose by April 1.

B次元官网网址淲ith almost 9,000 school-based staff in our district, we made a decision to begin offering appointments to schools in zones that have the highest rates of community transmission first,B次元官网网址� he said in an email issued to district staff.

Tinney said priority will be all schools in the Panorama-Sullivan, City Centre and Newton-Fleetwood areas.

He added only school-based staff are currently eligible for the vaccine.

Tinney made the announcement the day after provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry talked about the virus risk in Surrey.

Henry said the number of cases in Surrey has prompted health officials to consider giving vaccine priority to Surrey educators over other teachers in the province.

Surrey is, B次元官网网址渂y far,B次元官网网址� the highest risk area in the province, Henry said.

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 have enough vaccine to do everyone in the school system right now, so we will be prioritizing where the risk is greatest,B次元官网网址� Henry said.

Last week, officials announced frontline workers, including police, firefighters, child-care, grocery store, postal and K-12 education staff would be getting the vaccine in April.

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Henry said teachers are among the focus of immunization due to the disruption caused to society when cohorts of students are requested to isolate. She said school COVID-19 safety plans are effective, and that COVID-19 cases related to the school setting is reflective of the community.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been particularly a concern in the Surrey school district where we see exposures in schools and itB次元官网网址檚 very disruptive,B次元官网网址� she said.

Henry noted that while the province was looking at prioritizing Surrey teachers, B次元官网网址渁ll of the educators in the school system are a priority group because of the role they play in the education system.B次元官网网址�

B.C. TeachersB次元官网网址� Federation president Teri Mooring said itB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渟uch a reliefB次元官网网址� to learn educators and school staff in the Surrey school district B次元官网网址渨ill begin receiving COVID-19 vaccines in the coming days.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淎s we know, Surrey has been a hot spot for COVID-19 transmission in both community and school settings.B次元官网网址�

Henry noted an increase of the B117 (U.K.) variant of the virus, which is more transmissible.

Workplaces and indoor gatherings continue to be the leading venue where the virus is spread.

She also said thereB次元官网网址檚 been a B次元官网网址渃oncerningB次元官网网址� increase in the number of younger people ending up in hospital or intensive care due to COVID-19.

B次元官网网址淲hat weB次元官网网址檙e seeing is that people in our community, younger age groups, requiring hospitalization and needing to be hospitalized for longer periods of time,B次元官网网址� Henry said.

So far, about 10.5 per cent of B.C.B次元官网网址檚 adult population has been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus B次元官网网址� a percentage far below whatB次元官网网址檚 needed for herd immunity and that is heavily skewed towards long-term care home residents, seniors and people in isolated communities.

Henry noted that while the risk is still much higher for seniors and other older people, the younger people who are ending up in hospital are requiring more time in the ICU.

B次元官网网址淲e have seen several young people in their 30s and 40s whoB次元官网网址檝e unfortunately, tragically, been severely affected by COVID.B次元官网网址�

Meanwhile, RCMP officials have described their inclusion in MondayB次元官网网址檚 vaccine-priority announcement as B次元官网网址済reat newsB次元官网网址� for all our officers and employees who have been working in these unforeseen circumstances across the province, on and off the frontlines, throughout the pandemic.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲e donB次元官网网址檛 yet have the specifics as to how the vaccine will be rolled out, to whom and when,B次元官网网址� said Eric Stubbs, assistant commissioner of criminal operations for the B.C. RCMP, in an emailed statement.

B次元官网网址淲e look for learning more in the upcoming days, and once we have a greater understanding, we will ensure that our employees are notified first.B次元官网网址�

White Rock Staff Sgt. Kale Pauls B次元官网网址� noting his officers have not stopped responding during the pandemic B次元官网网址� said having frontline officers protected with a vaccine B次元官网网址渨ill also protect the community and the officerB次元官网网址檚 families from transmission.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淭he officers donB次元官网网址檛 always have a choice to maintain physical distancing and we interact with many high risk populations and are frequently present in the hospital emergency room for prolonged periods of time,B次元官网网址� Pauls told Peace Arch B次元官网网址 by email.

B次元官网网址淚t will be good news once everyone in the community has access to the vaccine.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� with files from Tracy Holmes