Vaccine Priority: Teachers or Police

[Peachered]

Only posting in AIBU for the voting (and I have simplified a massively complex issue) but hypothetically if an employment group was to have priority who do you think should be prioritised:

YABU - teachers should have vaccine priority
YANBU - police should have vaccine priority

(voting options don't reflect my preference necessarily).

And, should either of these groups have priority over those on the flu vaccine list (so pre-existing conditions but not CEV)...

@ilikebooksandplants you didn't have to read the thread then. Did you?

Did you read my explanation as to why I was asking the question - nothing to do with pitting anyone against anyone in my mind at all. That's the entire reason I asked this (which you would know, had you read the thread...)

But vulnerable first obviously.

I don't know if either should have priority over the other to be honest. I think there is a strong argument for special schools/asn staff to be done earlier than perhaps mainstream teachers if they are in a fully open school, many like mine with all students and staff in and handgel and windows the only barrier. Lots of biting, kicking, spitting, bodily fluids and cuddles, unexpected kisses, sneezes, holds, sitting on knees, changing etc in small spaces with minimal ventilation and and most importantly cv children who could become very ill. However, it will be whenever it will be and like everyone else we all just have to ride this out.

As much as I despise the sentiment of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, I think teachers should be prioritised over police in general, so that they can get back to face to face teaching. As a pp said, the police are far more used to accepting higher risks to their health and safety on a daily basis, so tend to just get on with it.

However, I do agree that riskier roles in both professions should be prioritised within those categories- so special schools staff, frontline police etc.

@CarrieCat

I'd probably do over 50s then exposed professions like they are doing in France I believe.

@CarrieCat, I like that phrase.... the question of police vs teachers is academic. Once you get to levels of individual professional groups the numbers are low.

There are ~125,000 police officers in England and Wales and 500,00 teachers. The government believe they will hit 2 million vaccines a week. I appreciate that once 12 weeks have lapsed half of those will be second vaccines but that still leaves 1 million a week. The idea of a larger pool of 'exposed workers' sounds sensible.

I read the full thread thanks. I still think it’s pathetic that it is being debated. Absolute woe.

Social workers

As much as I despise the sentiment of the squeaky wheel getting the grease, I think teachers should be prioritised over police in general, so that they can get back to face to face teaching.

I agree with this.

You phrased it a lot more diplomatically than I am capable of though.

@user1471530109

I'm a clinically vulnerable teacher. If they prioritised another profession (outside of current ones) which meant my vaccine would be pushed back, I think I'd honestly quit after the day I've had in school. I thought March was bad. I've never felt to stressed and exhausted. Fuck this.

That's exactly how I feel. I'm going to be flamed for my next comment, but it's something that I know so many people think but really don't feel brave enough to say.

I feel people who are working in high contact jobs, such as the emergency services, police, care, teaching, social services really should get the vaccine before older retired people who are sat in their houses, safely quarantining.

People who are keeping critical services open should be vaccinated so they can continue to do so or this whole precarious house of cards will come crashing down if these workers get sick or die. They are all highly trained, skilled people who need to be protected so they can do their jobs.

Older people in care home should obviously be vaccinated quickly

I feel people who are working in high contact jobs, such as the emergency services, police, care, teaching, social services really should get the vaccine before older retired people who are sat in their houses, safely quarantining

People clearly still don’t understand that the primary objective of vaccination has to be avoiding overwhelming the hospital system.

Police should get the vaccine first as they absolutely need to be in work. But I don’t think schools should be reopened until teachers have had the vaccine.

In fairness vaccination of teachers doesn't open schools fully, they were didn't close this time (Or the time before) due to staff safety they only went to reduced capacity due to children appearing to spread this new strain and being able to pass it through the communuty. That wouldn't change even if eduction staff have had a vaccine.

How about bin men, how about shop workers ect, all these people want long to be made a priority a lot of you are just going to have to wait your turn.

Teachers. Crime went down during the last lockdown. I am sorry for police officers too, but I think teachers should be priority right now.

Still think this thread is sowing division by getting people to make a false and unnecessary choice

But back on this thread to add another occupation to my first shot at priority occupational group to go at the top of the second phase: undertakers, though arguably they should be up with NHS staff, as we need them working full strength when pandemic at its most critical. Though I've heard there are plans for temporary additional morgues, so if waiting times have to increase there is already a plan for it

• emergency services, undertakers, prisons, staff and residents of other residential units, social workers, teachers, military, other officials key to pandemic response

Definitely police.

YAB

Interesting conversation with child's neuro earlier. Knows I work special Ed.

Fuming teachers aren't a priority and especially so special school staff (remember a lot of their patients fall in this category so they understand nature of students)

Quite an eye opener from someone who works in a hospital!

+100 to callistography.

I'm glad to see older people getting vaccinated but I must admit it will be a very hard pill to swallow if I contract the virus through my job. I worked all throughout the lockdowns last year, I never got a week off, I follow the guidelines strictly and my only exposure risk is through my job as a nanny. It's stomach churning, the idea of contracting the virus through work.

@SexTrainGlue emergency services, undertakers, prisons, staff and residents of other residential units, social workers, teachers, military, other officials key to pandemic response

Decent list, as well as pandemic response covering everyone involved in vaccine production and provision, I'd invoice food production and food sales.

Include, not invoice

Police that work with the public every day should be the same priority as teachers, but the police that are office based and who have limited interaction with the public shouldn’t be included in that. There are lots police officers that don’t deal directly with the public but all teachers and TAs in schools do.

I agree that it should not be one or the other but instead each group should be split.

Police who are on the frontline and often in close contact for extended periods with the general public should be higher up the list

Teachers, TAs, childcare providers etc who work in close contact for extended periods should also be higher up the list. This is particularly true of those in specialist schools where they are often in very close contact with students dealing with personal care and/or challenging behaviour.

However office based staff / those who can work from home should be on the 'general' list.

I think police first. They can’t wah or socially distance a lot of the time.
I heard from a friend today who works in a nhs lab, so no patient contact, that they are being vaccinated in next few weeks. Police and teachers should definitely be before non front line nhs staff. I was actually quite annoyed that my friend is getting it before my 85 year old granddad.