PRIORITISING TEACHERS FOR VACCINATION KEY TO POST LOCKDOWN RECOVERY

@NASUWT – PRIORITISING TEACHERS FOR VACCINATION KEY TO POST LOCKDOWN RECOVERY 

The NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union has welcomed the pledge from the Government that all adults will be offered their first Covid vaccination by the end of July, but has reiterated its call for teachers and other education staff to be given priority access.

In order for all children and young people to be able to return to education and avoid further damaging disruption to their learning, the NASUWT believes it is in the national interest for teachers and their colleagues to be prioritised for access in the next rollout of the vaccine.

Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:

“The NASUWT believes it is in the national interest for the government to prioritise teachers and education staff for access to vaccination.

“The government has said that education is their priority for ending lockdown and that it is determined to avoid further lockdowns in the future. It is therefore essential that to keep our schools open, vaccination of education staff must be prioritised now.

 “There has been overwhelming support from across the political spectrum for teachers and education staff to be made a priority, including from members of the Cabinet, and there is clearly capacity in the system for all teachers and education staff to be vaccinated rapidly if the political will is there to do so.

 “It is deeply frustrating to hear reports from across the country of surplus vaccines being distributed randomly when teachers are expected to be working in circumstances in which social distancing is a near impossibility.  

 “After so many months of disruption to pupils learning, the focus must be on making schools and colleges covid secure so that when they do fully open to all pupils they can remain open.

“Prioritising education staff for access to vaccination is key to ensuring this happens and we can begin the recovery which young people deserve.

 “We call on the Prime Minister to make access to vaccinations for education staff a priority in the Government’s decisions on the reopening of schools.”