On Wednesday, the White House elaborated on the administration’s plan to get teachers, childcare workers and school staff access to the vaccine by the end of March, in part by using a federal pharmacy program.

President Joe Biden first announced the initiative Tuesday, calling educators and others who work with kids “essential workers,” and Press Secretary Jen Psaki clarified Wednesday that the administration is both directly calling on states to prioritize teachers as well as making federal vaccine supply available.

The shots will be open to teachers and staff in pharmacies that get vaccine doses directly from the government. As of March, the U.S. was sending more than two million doses each week to about 9,000 locations under the program.

“This is important. It's not a Republican or a Democratic issue, whether or not our kids are behind. We have all seen the impact on mental health,” Psaki said.

The issue of vaccinating teachers took center stage last month amid the school reopening debate, when CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said that it was not a prerequisite for opening schools.

While the administration maintains that view, they have consistently encouraged states to prioritize teachers for vaccines as soon as possible. President Biden’s announcement Tuesday added federal support to the effort.

As of Wednesday, 34 states had made all or some teachers eligible for the vaccine, according to EdWeek.

Psaki also responded to criticism about opening the federal pharmacy program up to teachers, since it was designed to vaccinate underserved, minority communities who are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

“We simply disagree,” the press secretary said. “The program's beyond teachers. It includes bus drivers, janitorial workers, childcare workers, a workforce that is broadly, incredibly diverse.”

“Getting kids back to school is one of the most equitable steps we can take,” she added. “Black and Latino students are disproportionately experiencing learning loss for a variety of reasons.”

Teachers unions applauded Biden’s Tuesday announcement.

“Today, this White House reminded us that they see us, they respect our efforts, and they truly understand that, in order to make school reopening a reality, we need the testing and vaccination infrastructure to do it,” said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, in a statement.

The prioritization of teachers for vaccines comes as the administration elevates its push to reopen schools, the primary goal of new Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, who was confirmed this week.

Secretary Cardona has already penned an op-ed in USA Today on the topic, and he visited two schools that have reopened with First Lady Jill Biden Wednesday afternoon.