Educational institutions do not know teacher vaccination rates

The educational institutions of the cities of Tallinn, Tartu and Pärnu have no overview of how many teachers are vaccinated. There is also no plan for testing in fall.
Minister of Education and Research Liina Kersna (Reform) told Vikerraadio's morning program "Vikerhommik" on Tuesday that teachers who are not vaccinated by fall will have to get tested at least once a week.
Tallinn Education Department head specialist Pirgit Pedaja said they have no overview of teacher vaccination rates from when vaccinations opened to the public in spring. She added that by the end of April, 80 percent of teachers and kindergarten teachers were vaccinated.
Pedaja said a vaccination overview will likely be completed in fall and not summer. She assessed that testing will be organized similarly to vaccinating. "Schools have counted up who has been vaccinated and then forwarded that information to the education department, it will likely be the same for testing," the specialist said.
Tartu's Department of Education head Riho Raave also said they do not have an overview, because it is personal data. He noted that Tartu schools will not think of testing before the state publishes guidelines.
"I think testing is not something education workers must think about," Raave said.
Director of Pärnu's education department Ene Koitla also confirmed they have no overview. She said vaccinations go through the Health Board and the Health Insurance Fund and it is not public data.
"[Vaccinations] completely passed local municipality governments," she noted, adding that she has nothing to say about testing in fall, because there is no official information.
--
Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!
Editor: Kristjan Kallaste