‘Elderly who can shield could swap places with those forced to work on front line’
HE’LL be among the first in line for the Covid-19 vaccination – but this Whitley Bay octogenarian wants to ‘trade’ his place with someone more at risk.
At 80 years old, Dr David Golding is near the top of the list produced by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), setting out the order in which the vital jabs will be handed out.
Age is one of the most significant considerations on the list, with all those over the age of 80 second in line, just after care home residents and workers and equal with frontline health and social care staff.
But while some older people are in desperate need of protection, Dr Golding argues that others, like himself, would be able to wait.
He believes the Government should allow those who are able to continue to isolate for a few more months, without significant risk to their physical or mental health, to volunteer to postpone their vaccination so that stocks are available to those who must continue working on the frontline.
Dr Golding, an honorary chaplain and retired lecturer at Newcastle University, highlights teachers, who are forced to continue working in environments where the virus can quickly spread, as one group who might be prioritised over lower-risk elderly people.
He said: “Of course, vulnerable older people and those living in multi-generational households must be given priority, so it would have to be entirely optional, but it should be offered as an option when people receive their invite.
“It should be put to people that if you are able to protect yourself, to avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable position, then you are able to consider postponing your vaccination until school and university teachers have been vaccinated.”
While he’s eager to accept the vaccine once those in more danger have been protected, Dr Golding argues it’s “misguided” to automatically assume all octogenarians are most in need.
He added: “There must be hundreds of thousands of others such as myself who can cope with the situation without significant danger or distress, who would willingly ‘trade’ their places in the queue in favour of 50 and 60-yearold school and university teachers in order to minimise the threat to their health and the disruption of our children’s and young people’s education.”
When announcing its suggested priorities for the vaccine, the JCVI suggested a second phase of the vaccination could include a focus on “those at increased risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 due to their occupation”, including teachers and transport workers.
But the committee said the question would be “an issue of policy”, for the Government to decide upon.
Yesterday Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that hundreds of thousands of pupils in England will not return to schools and colleges as planned due to rising infection rates and the spread of the new Covid variant.
Announcing a U-turn on the planned staggered reopening Mr Williamson said students in exam years will return to secondary schools a week later than planned, from January 11.
Other secondary and college students will go back full-time on January 18, he told Parliament.
And primary schools in a “small number of areas” where Covid-19 infection rates are the highest will not reopen for face-to-face teaching to all pupils as planned next week.