UK accelerates vaccine rollout as end of lockdown in sight
LONDON: The UK government on Sunday vowed to offer a first coronavirus vaccine dose to every adult by the end of July, as it readied to announce a gradual easing of its third lockdown in England.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who will outline the lockdown review in parliament on Monday, said the faster inoculation campaign would seek to offer a first dose to everyone aged over 50 by mid-april. The previous targets in the world-first campaign were to inoculate over 50s by May, and all adults by September.
“We will now aim to offer a jab to every adult by the end of July, helping us protect the most vulnerable sooner, and take further steps to ease some of the restrictions,” Johnson said, while stressing the exit would be “cautious and phased”.
Britain, one of the hardesthit countries in the world by the Covid-19 pandemic with more than 120,000 deaths, was also the first nation to begin a mass vaccination campaign, in December. More than 17 million people have now received at least a first dose — one-third of the UK population.
But with infection rates and hospitalisations soaring after an easing of restrictions over Christmas, the government imposed a third lockdown at the start of January, closing schools, non-essential businesses and hospitality venues across England.
Case numbers are falling again and early evidence suggests the vaccinations are helping to reduce serious illness, while political pressure is building on the government to return to normality.
Johnson was meeting with senior ministers on Sunday to finalise his House of Commons statement, which is expected to endorse the reopening of English schools on March 8 — although teaching unions say allowing all pupils to return on the same day is “reckless”.
Johnson is expected to lay out a gradual easing more widely after March 8, including for outdoor activities. But the full reopening of retail and pubs, and attendance at sporting events, will be delayed until later.
“All of us understandably want to go back to normal, but it is right to be cautious,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told Sky News on Sunday, noting that nearly 20,000 people remain in hospital with Covid.
Keir Starmer, leader of the main opposition Labour party, said he disagreed with the teaching unions’ opposition but urged the government to widen extra-hours access so that children can catch up ahead of exams.
More than 17 million people have now received at least a first dose, one-third of the UK population
Teachers are human beings like all of us! Similar to people of other professions, teachers make mistakes, lose interest and get demotivated. However, they are unfairly stereotyped by individuals, society and students alike. Teachers sometimes are even blamed for the shortcoming of students. Some critics even cast aspersions on the personal life of teachers.
Some have accused teachers of being spoiled by the daily stress-free work routine, number of holidays and a highly paid salary. None of these claims are true. Teachers are extremely overloaded with many tasks and administrative responsibilities. Number of leaves and off days are almost similar to all other government employees and they are similarly paid like others. Perhaps, their salaries are not even enough to compensate for their big responsibility at school and providing quality education to students.
What a pity to see this stereotype is passed through generations over the years! However, it is certainly aljahdhami22@gmail.com an unhealthy practice, which could cheapen the value of teachers, who were making all of us and paving our ways to the future! Oprah Winfrey, American talk show host and actor, was right to say, “For everyone of us that succeeds, it is because there is somebody there to show you the way out. The light doesn’t always necessarily have to be in your family; for me it was teachers and schools.”
Reflecting on seeing is believing, would anybody like to step into the shoes of a teacher even for a day? Teaching over 100 students with different individual learning challenges and undisciplined behaviours is not something that everyone can withstand?! Think of a teacher who handles 4-5 classes a day.
All those who are casting stones will realise how hard is teaching and how difficult it is to be a teacher. The list of accountabilities gets even longer every day, taking into account educational, social and disciplinary tasks in addition to the extra-curricular activities that teachers handle within and outside schools.
Teaching is the core of every other profession. Without teachers in all educational institutions, there will be no other professions. All those pilots, engineers, doctors and others were students one day and had been taught by teachers at schools, colleges and universities. Without teachers’ encouragement and support, students would never have realised their dreams.
As the teacher is the heart of the educational system, s/he is like a candle that burns out to show the way for students, and never give up on them, no matter how challenging it might be. All of us are here because, at some point, somebody did that for us. A teacher to some people may be just a teacher, but to many a teacher is a real hero.
Dear teachers, in teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years or more. Some students may have forgotten what you said, but many will never forget how you made their dreams come true. Never give up on your noble mission.
SOME STUDENTS MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT YOU SAID, BUT MANY WILL NEVER FORGET HOW YOU MADE THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE