Several Upstate school districts had concern with their vaccine plans for teachers Now school districts say they have much more confidence in their vaccine plans Share Updated: 7:48 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021 Now school districts say they have much more confidence in their vaccine plans Share Updated: 7:48 PM EDT Mar 16, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript WERE POSITIVE WYFF NEWS FOR INVESTIGATES RECEIVE DATA THAT SHOWED SEVERAL UPSTATE SCHOOL DISTRICTS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR VACCINE PLANTS FOR TEACHERS OUR NOLAN BLAIR JOINS US LIVE. HE IS IN SPARTANBURG TO EXPLAIN HOW OPINIONS HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE STATE ASKED FOR THOSE PLANS NO LONGER GOOD EVENING. MICHAEL WYFF NEWS 4 IT’S RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. IT SHOWS HOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS RATED THE CONFIDENCE OF THEIR VACCINE PLAN ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN BACK ON FEBRUARY 22ND HERE AT SPARTANBURG COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 4 OFFICIALS GAVE THE CONFIDENCE OF THEIR PLAN A THREE OUT OF 10. TALK ABOUT SOME EXAMPLES UP HERE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHO WAS GOING TO HAVE THE VACCINE. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE OUR TEACHERS WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO GET THE VACCINE. WE’RE A RURAL AREA. WE DON’T HAVE A HOSPITAL SYSTEM RIGHT HERE WITH US BRENT MCKINNEY WITH SPARTANBURG COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT 4 NOW GIVES THEIR PLAN AN 11 OUT OF 10 WHEN IT COMES TO CONFIDENCE. THEY SAY SPARTANBURG REGIONAL STEPPED UP AND GETTING STAFF VACCINES. WE WERE ABLE TO SUBMIT AN EXCEL SHEET WITH OUR TEACHERS NAMES AND TELEPHONE NUMBERS WHO HAD SIGNED UP AND WE’RE INTERESTED IN RECEIVING THE VACCINE. AND IT WAS A MATTER OF 15 MINUTES OF ME SUBMITTING THAT TO THEM THAT TEACHERS EMAILS WERE FLOODED WITH REQUESTS FOR THEM TO CONTACT THEM TO SET UP THEIR APPOINTMENTS OVER AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. PICKENS COUNTY OFFICIALS GAVE THEIR VACCINE PLAN FOR TEACHERS A CONFIDENCE LEVEL OF THREE OUT OF 10 IN FEBRUARY. SO A MONTH AGO WE WERE WILLING TO TO GET STARTED, BUT WE JUST DIDN’T HAVE OUR PARTNERS ON BOARD. I ACTUALLY HAVING A TIME AND A PLACE AND A METHOD FOR DELIVERING THE VACCINE. ALL OF THAT HAS CHANGED IN THE PAST MONTH AND NOW WE HAVE A TIME. WE HAVE A PLACE ON EB WITH THE DISTRICT NOTES THAT PRISMA HEALTH HAS BECOME A PARTNER TO HELP GET TEACHERS AND STAFF VACCINATED. HE SAYS GOVERNOR HENRY MCMASTER OPENING PHASE 1B OF VACCINATIONS, WHICH INCLUDES TEACHERS PUSH THE PROCESS FORWARD. YOU REALLY CAN’T COMMIT TO A TIME AND A PLACE WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW IF THE IF YOUR EMPLOYEES ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE. AND I SPOKE TO SEVERAL OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE UPSTATE THAT HAD LOWER CONFIDENCE IN THEIR VACCINE PLAN BACK IN FEBRUARY THAT INCLUDES CHEROKEE AND OCONEE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ANDERSON SCHOOL DISTRICT ONE AND THE SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND BLIND. THEY TOLD ME TODAY THEY HAVE MORE CONFIDENCE IN THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO GET STAFF VACCINATED FOR NOW LIVE