To think teachers should be moved up vaccination list..

[Ltdannygreen]

I’m not a teacher just to clarify, but I can’t be the only one who think teachers should be a priority on the vaccination list, not just so kids can get back to school but many are currently working to teach the children of key workers who are on the frontline everyday who still pose a risk. I’m aware that elderly are important, but so are our teachers.

I would argue more important potentially. Also not a teacher.

Absolutely agree

I agree although it won’t get kids back to school quicker IMO. It doesn’t solve the problem of asymptomatic pupil to pupil transmission that is then spread through households
But essentially yes teachers should be regarded as frontline staff providing direct contact care and be a priority for vaccine

I'm support staff in school and I'm with the kids in closet proximity than the teachers a lot of the time hoping we dont get forgotten about

Yes definitely

Totally agree.

Whilst the government are still peddling the myth that ‘schools are safe’ and they only contain classrooms of 5 properly socially distanced children wearing masks, I can’t see that happening any time soon.

What past the elderly vulnerable who are more likely to die from Covid or the nhs frontline staff who are more likely to pick it up, or patients and staff in care homes?

As I understand it from listening to one of the talks, the top groups are the ones most likely to die and the end up in hospital.

After those groups, who are the ones currently being vaccinated, I completely agree that teachers and support staff in schools should be at the front of the queue. I think they probably will be because the government wants to get schools back up and running, and this is the most guaranteed way.

My FIL is 75 with heart problems and just got over a bout of pneumonia last October, he’s been shielding so been very isolated. I would love for him to get it but I still believe teachers should be up there on the priority list.

I don't think this really reflects the point they are trying to go for in terms of the priority list though personally.

The list has been created in this way purely to reduce hospital admissions as quickly as possible. Obviously in order to do that they need to vaccinate those who are most likely to actually need a hospital if they were to contract Covid, which won't include your average young, healthy person whatever their profession. It's not about who is more exposed than anyone else but who is more likely to get it severely if they do. So no, I don't agree that healthy teachers, who are statistically unlikely to get severely ill, should be bumped up ahead of others who are more likely to.

So teachers should be above the vulnerable who could die if it? No I don’t agree with that.

@Ltdannygreen

My FIL is 75 with heart problems and just got over a bout of pneumonia last October, he’s been shielding so been very isolated. I would love for him to get it but I still believe teachers should be up there on the priority list.

You think teachers ( and if individual teachers fall into vulnerable categories because of their own health issues, they will be prioritised accordingly) should be vaccinated ahead of 75 year olds with heart problems?

No.

Not unless they're older, or have other conditions.

I'm more likely to get Covid than my 80 year old neighbour who's been shielding since god knows when, getting shopping delivered etc...as I'm out of my house every day, working, shopping etc...

But no, I don't for a second think I should be ahead of her. Because it's purely down to who out of us both is more likely to get severely ill and/or die if we get it. And that isn't me despite my risk if actual exposure being higher.

But the problem with schools goes beyond the teachers surely - it is the fact that the dc come in and then the infection goes out to all the other families?

At the moment, if a teacher gets Covid, then the whole class gets sent home for ten days. Or if they're a contact, they're off work for ten days.
If you want schools open consistently, then teachers need vaccinating so that they're in school throughout because they won't get it and nor will they need to isolate if they come in contact with it..

The point of the current priority order is to vaccinate those who are most likely to die, or to be critically ill and take up hospital beds for weeks, first. And healthcare professionals, again to keep people alive. Phase 2 will include consideration of people delivering critical services, and I would expect teachers to be high on that list.

So no, I think we should continue to prioritise the people most likely to die, and those most likely to fill up our hospitals.

@maddening

But the problem with schools goes beyond the teachers surely - it is the fact that the dc come in and then the infection goes out to all the other families?

They don't even know that the vaccine stops the virus from transmitting to others yet so what's the point of this argument? At the moment the main hope for the vaccine is that it stops people getting severely ill and dying. We don't yet know if it stops people from being able to pass it on so it would make no difference to this.

I think they should have teachers on quick call/use up roll out the same as they are doing for NHS staff who aren't front line. That way vials don't get wasted and teachers aren't technically skipping in front of vulnerable people. Especially for the first vaccine type which can only be moved/stored and has to be used up in a very specific time frame and comes in huge trays!

If it will facilitate schools reopening sooner then yes.

@ToastieSnowy

What past the elderly vulnerable who are more likely to die from Covid or the nhs frontline staff who are more likely to pick it up, or patients and staff in care homes?

My dp works in a care home and is already vaccinated, I won't be offered it until the summer yet we both work with the same category of person. Her in a care home and me in a SEN school.

@saraclara

At the moment, if a teacher gets Covid, then the whole class gets sent home for ten days. Or if they're a contact, they're off work for ten days. If you want schools open consistently, then teachers need vaccinating so that they're in school throughout because they won't get it and nor will they need to isolate if they come in contact with it..

At the moment we don't know whether the vaccine stops you from being able to pass on the virus. So this is a moot point until more research has been done into that.

A teacher with Covid vaccinated or not, could still potentially pass it round a class room.

@JogOnTony I never said that, I just said they should be a priority. Twisted my words around.

Yes because they are having to associate with so many people who will pass it on to si many people