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Family & Education

Vaccinate teachers, Jewish school heads say

Return to school next month welcomed, but heads want greater protection for staff

February 24, 2021 10:31
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2 min read

Headteachers have echoed union calls for staff to be prioritised for vaccination against Covid-19 as schools prepare for a return of all pupils from March 8. 

Teaching unions say that staff should be offered vaccination in the next phase of the rollout (after over-70s, extremely vulnerable individuals and frontline health and care workers). 

Patrick Moriarty, head of JCoSS, said , “It  would have been sensible for the government to offer it to all teachers and support staff before reopening.  It offers additional protection, creates confidence and above all expresses the appreciation of society for the additional risks that school staff will be shouldering.  

“If we are vaccinating 500,000 people a day, the entire national school workforce would only take the equivalent of two days. I think it is a small price that the nation would be willing to pay.”