Why havent they prioritised frontline workers over 60 year olds getting the vaccination?

[tumpymummy]

I totally understand that those with underlying health issues and the elderly needed to be vaccinated first. But what I dont understand is why over 60s are now being vaccinated and frontline workers are not? In less than 2 weeks time all children return to school. Nothing has changed in schools since September, and myself and colleagues will spend our days in small classrooms with 32 children just waiting for the infection and circles of self isolating bubbles to start again. Yet lots of my friends in their early 60s have now been vaccinated. They do not have health issues, a lot of them arent even working. Most of them spend all day at home, not really seeing anyone. Yet frontline workers have spent the last year working, risking their health, for no benefit whatsoever.

You mention the self isolating bubbles, how does vaccinating staff help with that?

Reading your title, I assumed you were healthcare. Sorry, OP, you are not a frontline worker.

It wont, but a vaccination does mean that teachers wouldn't come to school every day scared that they are going to catch covid-19.

Whilst I have every sympathy with teachers and do maybe thing they should be vaccinated due to being around so many people without PPE we can’t escape the fact that age is the biggest risk for severe illness. So the most at risk front line workers will be done as a priority. I’m not sure how I feel about a healthy 25 year old front line worker getting it before a 60 year old.

Because a 60 year old is more likely to die or be seriously ill and need an ICU bed then someone younger but working in a school.

It's not about who's most likely to catch it, it's about who would use up more resources or be damaging to that system if they caught it.

@tumpymummy

I totally understand that those with underlying health issues and the elderly needed to be vaccinated first. But what I dont understand is why over 60s are now being vaccinated and frontline workers are not? In less than 2 weeks time all children return to school. Nothing has changed in schools since September, and myself and colleagues will spend our days in small classrooms with 32 children just waiting for the infection and circles of self isolating bubbles to start again. Yet lots of my friends in their early 60s have now been vaccinated. They do not have health issues, a lot of them arent even working. Most of them spend all day at home, not really seeing anyone. Yet frontline workers have spent the last year working, risking their health, for no benefit whatsoever.

No benefit other than full pay and still having a job. The vaccine has to be given to those MOST LIKELY to be seriously ill from it and however you try and spin it there is no evidence that this includes teachers. Bus drivers, yes, ethnic minorities, yes, but not teachers. Of course someone over 60 should get it before a 25 year old teacher and a 50 year old teacher will get it before a 25 year old window cleaner. We cant vaccinate everyone at once and it must be based on facts and statistics to save the most lives, not to stop everyone from getting it.

Sorry, you're right! Should have put keyworkers not frontline. Can I change it?

It’s not about risk of getting it

It’s about your risk of dying

Whether you work front line or not is irrelevant

If you’re at risk of dying you will be prioritised above those who aren’t

Frontline may be more exposed but age determines those most at risk of complications

They've worked out the priority based on who, statistically is most likely to die.
Healthy frontline workers have a minute chance of dying of Covid19

This is a thread that’s been done so many times before.
The jcvi guidelines are based on who is most likely to be seriously ill if they get Covid.
If you look at research published earlier this week teaching is not a “frontline” professional risk.
Departing from age just brings so many arguments into play - what about this profession, that profession, how many hours per week does one have to be working in that profession, etc.
I get you are scared and don’t mean to undermine you at all - god knows a lot of us are. But this does go wider than teachers alone and a lot of parents are also very scared about the it child just as equally transmitting back (which then leads back to the jcvi ordering being sensible)

The vaccine priority list hasn't got anything to do with occupations and people risking their health.
It's about reducing hospital admissions so the NHS won't be overloaded and unable to function.
People over 60 are more likely to need hospital care if they get covid.

@MarinPrime

The vaccine priority list hasn't got anything to do with occupations and people risking their health. It's about reducing hospital admissions so the NHS won't be overloaded and unable to function. People over 60 are more likely to need hospital care if they get covid.

That’s not entirely correct people are being vaccinated based on their occupation

It would slow things down for everyone if they picked some professions over others, too.

You are saying teachers should be prioritised - what about Royal Mail staff (they spend time in crowded delivery offices sorting mail every day), warehouse workers, or shop staff, bus drivers, taxi drivers... it would get very complicated very quickly.

@tumpymummy

Sorry, you're right! Should have put keyworkers not frontline. Can I change it?

You can ask MNHQ to change the title.......

Teachers really need to stop trying to queue jump. The schedule is based on clinical vulnerability and overall risk of death. Teachers are not at significantly elevated risk of death or serious illness.

It’s to do with mortality, not spread. If teachers are genuinely clinically vulnerable due to age or relevant underlying conditions they will be vaccinated sooner.

@SunshiningBetty and @KnobJockey have it exactly right IMO.

Why do teachers continually feel they have the right to be prioritised over any other worker? The aim of vaccination is to reduce deaths and hospitalisations. The way to do this is by age and people with existing relevant health conditions.

Teachers will be picked up by these categories.

Why should a health 25 yr old teacher get a vaccine before a 49 yr old.

This attitude from SOME teachers (many who are very vocal on MN) is annoying many.

I'm a teacher and all we can hope is that all the families of the kids we teach actually follow the rules and don't go nuts trying to see loads of different people etc t

I know i'll feel so p-ed off if a child comes in and says, 'We have a secret party with 50 people for grandma's birthday. ' Because kids always tell the teacher what they've been to not to!
It's like the kids that go, 'did you know hisses are cheaper out of term time?'
Erm, yes we're teachers...

Hisses? Holidays!

@Jet888 I agree, but I live in the catchment area for my school, and I know full-well that many of the pupils, and their families, have not been following guidelines. When thousands of people are back in one building in less than two weeks, there is a chance that the virus will spread again. As a result, pupils will be off ill or isolating, as will staff, and education will be disrupted again. But saying that, what’s the alternative?

I have a 65 year old relative who has used public transport to get to work, and then worked alongside 200 other workers in a factory like environment. I think she should have been given slightly higher priority - her jab is scheduled for next week.

Its on done on medical need.

The risk dying is greater if your are over 60 than if you are a healthy younger person.

It has to be done on medical need anything else including political decisions on who deserves it more is unethical.

As many pp have said and has been said on many other threads the vaccine priority is based on your risk of serious illness or death and not on your risk of catching it.

How many times does this need to be said or do people just not listen/read.

@Rosehip10

Why do teachers continually feel they have the right to be prioritised over any other worker? The aim of vaccination is to reduce deaths and hospitalisations. The way to do this is by age and people with existing relevant health conditions.

Teachers will be picked up by these categories.

Why should a health 25 yr old teacher get a vaccine before a 49 yr old.

This attitude from SOME teachers (many who are very vocal on MN) is annoying many.

I thought the idea of prioritising teachers was so that schools could stay open - not close within weeks for teachers and pupils to isolate.

The attitude of some posters towards teachers is snide and spiteful that's also annoying many. Some can't wait to leap in. Very odd behaviour.