Lakota teachers and staff get COVID-19 vaccines

The hallways of the Butler County high school were filled with teachers and staff -- not students -- on the first day of the vaccine rollout in the district.

The effort will distribute about 4,000 shots over three days.

TEACHERS AND STAFF IN THELAKOTA SCHOOLS ARE ON THEIRWAY TO BEING VACCINATEDAGAINST COVID-19.WCPO 9 NEWSREPORTER LISA SMITH WAS THEREWHEN THEY LINED UP TO GETTHEIR FIRST DOSE TODAY.THE STUDENTS WERE MISSING FROMTHE HALLWAYS OF LAKOTA WESTHIGH SCHOOL TODAY..

INSTEAD,THE HALLS WERE FULL OFTEACHERS AND STAFF GETTINGTHEIR FIRST DOSE OF THECOVID-19VACCINE."It was easy to get the shotand I feel a lot safernow."MARGARET DWYER SAYS IT DIDN'THURT AT ALL... AND ROLLING UPHER SLEEVE TODAY WAS ABOUTKEEPING HERSELF AND OTHERSSAFE IN THEFUTURE."I'm around different chilrenall day long and I just feellike it's one layer ofprotection.

We've done themask, we do the distancing,you know hand washing.

But,this is important to move ourcountryforward."KROGER DISTRIBUTED THEVACCINE.

THEY HAVE 4-THOUSANDDOSES THEY EXPECT TO GIVE OUTTO EDUCATORS IN BUTLER COUNTYTHROUGHFRIDAY."We've got a lot of teachersthat we're trying to getthrough the line for theirfirst dose of the vaccinetoday.

So, we're really usedto vaccinating a lot ofpeople.

We vaccinatethousands and thousands ofpeople for the flu every year.So this is something thatwe're absolutely used to doingand ready to help vaccinateeveryone."TODAY IT'S THE PFIZER VACCINE.KROGER SAYS THEY LEARN WHICHVACCINE THEY'LL HAVE ON HANDWEEKLY.

MEANWHILE, DWYER SAYSGETTING THE SHOT EASES SOMECONCERNS SHE HAS.

SHEBELIEVES HER RISK IS ELEVATEDBY HER AGE AND SOME UNDERLYINGMEDICAL CONDITIONS.

SHE HASHER FIRST DOSE AND ISSCHEDULED FOR THESECOND."For us to go through abuilding in an hour, that's alot easier than waiting hoursand hours for a COVID shot.So, I'm thankful that Lakotadid this forus."WHILE THIS GAVE LOCALEDUCATORS A CHANCE TO GETTHEIR VACCINE QUICKLY..

WESTILL HEAR FROM SOME WHOQUALIFY FOR THE SHOT, BUT HAVEDIFFICULTY GETTING IT.

THAT'SWHERE WE'RE GETTING INVOLED TOHELP GET YOU ANSWERS,, CONTACTME AT LISA.SMITH@WCPO.COM ANDWE'LL TRY TO HELP YOU GETPROTECTIONLS WCPO 9 NEWS