Vaccinating nursery staff

[AliceK82]

Hi there. I have a 2yo DD in nursery, the staff are amazing and have stayed open throughout the pandemic. They feel abandoned and are not being considered for the vaccine even though nurseries have been asked to remain open (unlike schools). And even though there are sometimes spare vaccines that could be given to them. If you want to help, please see my new peitition and consider signing it and sharing it, thanks: chng.it/CLBSpdk6

I believe this is a feminist issue because if nurseries get a positive case and have to close, mums will overwhelmingly do the childcare and be more likely to be flexi furloughed and/or made redundant which would lower their income and undo decades of hard-won progress in the workplace.

Schools are open for keyworkers and vulnerable children though. Younger children are less likely to spread coronavirus according to the government. But I still agree with you that staff should be considered for vaccination.

@AliceK82 thank you 😍 nursery staff seem to be forgotten.

Yes I appreciate that! They’re saying that with vulnerable children & those of essential workers (under the new expanded definition), schools are operating at about 40% but nurseries have to be open for all children so 100%. More importantly, this definitely isn’t about pitching groups against one another and I apologise if that’s how it came across - we are saying that if the jcvi is considering different key workers for the vaccines then they should include early years staff who are so frequently overlooked despite doing an incredible job

We are not even eligible for the flow testing. If parents don't want to send their children then nurseries will not be able to get the funding

I’ve been a nursery nurse (years ago). It’s a bloody hard job without a pandemic. I feel
for you all right now.

Children spread every other germ going I’m not sure why covid would be any difference. I believe the government said the same about school aged kids... that went well.

Younger children are less likely to spread coronavirus according to the government

This is utter bullshit. Young children spread other germs I don’t see why covid would be any different.

Younger children are less likely to spread coronavirus according to the government

Doubt it, but in any case I don't work alone. The 5 people I work in a room with managed to avoid it when I caught it. The Toddler room didn't fare quite as well last week and 5 people caught it.

Childcare workers are adults and whether children spread it or not the adults are still working together without PPE and interacting with parents at drop off/pick up times. There are many more adults in a class than in a school classroom due to ratio.

Childcare providers should be given in house lateral flow tests (our community one is an hour drive there and an hour back!) and be considered higher priority for vaccines. Instead our safety is being ignored simply because young children aren’t getting so unwell from the virus. The knock on effects of childcare providers being closed due to positive cases and isolating impacts several families and their ability to carry on working themselves.

It could also impact school bubbles as we are still able to offer wraparound for key worker/vulnerable school children.

@Tumbleweed101

It could also impact school bubbles as we are still able to offer wraparound for key worker/vulnerable school children.

This is a really good point! My nursery has offered to take on children of key workers after schools shut so you have an older age group who are more likely to carry and transmit the virus inside the nursery and with the staff!

Thank you all for such interesting views on this. Again, please do sign and share the petition if you agree nursery staff need more protection: chng.it/tck9zLLG

All early years settings are being overlooked so please do it for all of us there are a lot of children testing positive who are not showing symptoms. Early years unlike school is open to all and can not either distance or wear PPE like teachers. Childminders are having children into their homes contaminating the environment nursery staff are taking it home put them on the vaccination list equal to teachers who don't come within 2 meters of most children.

Does anyone else think that the information saying under 5s don't spread it is more related to brain development and the importance of quality interactions for under 5s in preventing life long learning difficulties & mental health into adulthood etc. Rather than them really not spreading it as much as a 6 year plan???

I certainly didn't go to nursery for 50 hours per week. And I would say I don't suffer with learning difficulties and mental health problems. I think that most parents are choosing to isolate and not test when symptoms occur, testing was not available in under 5s until late August.