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'More peace of mind': Maricopa County moving to Phase 1B of COVID-19 vaccinations Monday

Dr. Kimberly Weeldreyer, a special education strategist at Peoria Unified School District, plans to sign up as soon as she can for a slot to get vaccinated.

Monday marks a new phase in Maricopa County, opening up COVID-19 vaccinations to Phase 1B, including teachers, other childcare workers, law enforcement officers and people over the age of 75.

The anticipation is mounting for Dr. Kimberly Weeldreyer.

"I’ll wake up at midnight – that’s Monday," she says. "Hopefully register and start the pre-screening."

She’s a special education strategist at Peoria Unified School District and plans to schedule her slot to get the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as she can.

"I think it would give me a little bit more peace of mind," Weeldreyer says.

The shot of hope comes as times are getting tougher.  

With COVID-19 cases spiking up for weeks, others are growing uneasy. Peoria Unified School District says it plans to close nine schools Monday due to lack of staffing after some teachers planned for a sickout.

Weeldreyer's been in the classroom since August, while her son has been learning online since last school year.

"At this point, the way I see things going and our numbers ever-increasing here in Arizona," she says. "I’m open to having a little bit of a sore arm."

A small price to pay to fight back against a virus that’s taken so much.

"I kind of want to see my son walk across the stage and get his diploma in May," she says, knowing tough it's been for students to learn from home.  "My hope is that once we have the vaccine we can get back to a normal school life again."

The ADHS website now lists where specific counties in Arizona are in their vaccination timeline and how to get vaccines scheduled.  

Find more information here.

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