Call for teachers to get Covid jabs as pandemic stance on schools slated
Calls are being made to extend the Covid vaccine roll-out to teachers, amid criticism that schools were not treated as high risk during the pandemic.
Peter Barlow, 68, a retired drama teacher from Dumfries and Galloway, said teachers and other staff should now be offered Covid booster vaccines as well as flu vaccines to stop the spread of the infection in schools.
Mr Barlow worked as a contact tracer during the coronavirus pandemic, and said he was “frustrated” about how often he would have to deal with cases of transmission in schools.
Speaking to The Scotsman, Mr Barlow said: “I took early retirement just before Covid and I had big plans to do supply work, but then Covid came and no-one wanted people going into schools.
“I had a nursing background before being a teacher, so I became a contact tracer for a couple of years. That gave me an insight into the pattern of infection in schools.
“There were huge transmissions, but teachers are not routinely being offered the Covid vaccination.”
Covid vaccines are only available to those over the age of 65, those who are classed as “increased risk” or have a weakened immune system, carers and those living in care homes, and frontline health and social care workers.
However, the eligibility criteria for a free flu vaccine is much wider, including for those over the age of 50, school pupils, pregnant women, school and nursery teachers, and prisoners and prison staff.
Mr Barlow has now submitted a petition to the Scottish Parliament calling on the Covid vaccine eligibility criteria to be extended to include all school staff.
He said: “What frustrated a lot of contact tracers is social care and healthcare settings were deemed high risk, but not schools. I felt that was wrong, because that should be the case in schools simply because of the prevalence of it.
“When the roll-out of vaccinations started again in September, I thought it was a brilliant opportunity to get teachers topped up so they can carry on working and protect themselves
– but they are only able to get the flu vaccine.”
This is not the only petition on tacking Covid infections Holyrood is dealing with. Dr Sally Witcher has also put forward a petition urging the Government to do more in general to tackle all airborne infections, as well as the spread of coronavirus. She has spent most of the past four years stuck in her house because she is classed as clinically vulnerable, and during lockdown she was forced to shield.
However, she says the Government has not been inclusive or considered the human rights of those with weakened immune systems in lifting Covid restrictions. Dr Witcher wants the Government to improve air quality in health and social care settings.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government’s decisions on the Covid-19 vaccination programme are guided by the independent expert clinical advice of the JCVI.
"Prioritising those most at risk has been our approach from the outset.”