ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Teachers aren’t the only ones excited to now be vaccinated. Thousands of school-bus drivers, custodians, and other staff are now able to get the vaccine, too. 


What You Need To Know

  • Fears eased for school staff once they get COVID shots

  • Before getting vaccinations, school workers worry they'll catch virus from students

  • Some school employees concerned about bringing COVID home to family

  • Workers being encouraged to get shots quickly — and they are

Sonia Carr has driven buses for Orange County Public Schools for six years, but up until last year, she never had a lot of fear of the children she was transporting. 

“All the time, all the time, so we don’t know who have it or not,” Carr said. “So we’re in contact with them all the time.”

She’s had a lot of fear about possibly catching COVID-19 and bringing it home to her family. 

“Yes, I got my mother-in-law, and my little grands live with me, so have to be aware of all the old people, too,” Carr said. 

(Eric Mock/Spectrum News)

Orange County’s approximately 14,000 classroom teachers have been working for months waiting for the chance to be vaccinated. 

But so have the almost 10,000 bus drivers, food and nutrition workers, custodians, and front-office clerks — like Debbie Chappelle. 

“I was hoping for that day,” Chappelle said. 

She's worked doing attendance and records at Avalon Elementary School in Orange County for five years. 

She said teachers have a lot of contact with students, but so does she. 

“We have interaction all the time with parents and students, even those that have chosen to be Launch Ed,” Chappelle said. “They have to come to the school to pick up various items, and we constantly have that contact with them at the front door.” 

So you can imagine how happy they were when they were included this week in the expanded eligibility to get vaccinated. 

Chappelle wasted no time. 

“On the third, the first day that they offered it to us, I was able to secure an appointment, and I went,” Chappelle said. “It was easy, I’m thrilled.”

And Carr is not far behind her. 

“I’m going to have my shot today, and I’m very happy about it,” Carr said. 

Having the shot takes the fear out of serving the children they love, they both said. 

“It just makes you feel a lot more at peace, that it’s gonna be okay,” Chappelle said. 

Orange County Public Schools managers said they have been trying to encourage as many of their employees as they can to go get the shot now, so they can more safely carry out those essential tasks. ​