All education sector staff should get jab

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

THE vaccination programme commenced in December expanding to significant quantities in January, including me on January 17. This made me realise that the safest way to reopen all levels of education was to get all the adults working in the education service, i.e. teachers and non-teaching staff, preferably double vaccinated before re-opening.

Scientists tell us adults working in school, universities and colleges are at no greater risk than the general public outside education. However recent history throws doubt into the reckoning.

Last September students returned to their education facilities. By October new cases were rising throughout the UK, dramatically in November and December, following the identification of the variant.

To avoid a repeat of the same disaster, every precaution must be taken before education resumes. There is sufficient time to invest in health measures to clamp down on the virus in the next five weeks. The Government must prepare at once.

From: Rosalyn Cousins, Eastfield Road, Pickering.

I WAS very disappointed to learn that our MP, Kevin Hollinrake, along with the rest of the Government, voted down an amendment to the Trade Bill which would protect the NHS (“a comprehensive publicly funded health service free at the point of delivery”) in post-Brexit trade deals.

This past year has shown just how much we rely on our healthcare service, and I am deeply concerned that this may be jeopardised.

If parts of the NHS are privatised, the financial effects could be disastrous for all but the very rich.

According to a American Public Health Association study in 2019, 530,000 bankruptcies are filed in America each year due to healthcare debts.

A University of Michigan study has shown that on average an ambulance ride costs $550 even after the insurance payout.

Those who would sell off the NHS will argue that it is no longer ‘fit for purpose’, and is not cost effective. Even if that were true (which it isn’t) it would only be because, over a decade of austerity, Conservative governments have deliberately underfunded the health service.

From: Hilary Andrews, Nursery Lane, Leeds.

IS it only me who feels that the media’s persistent denouncing of the Government’s handling of the pandemic is totally unhelpful?

We have had a terrible number of deaths, but we must try to move forward (The Yorkshire Post, January 27 and 28). The inquiry will reveal where and when we went wrong. Meanwhile we should all stick to the message of washing our hands, wearing our masks and keeping our distance from others. The vaccine is not the only way out of this ghastly situation.

From: Ron Firth, Campsall.

I AM appalled at the reporting, by the BBC and media in general, of the 100,000 Covid deaths.

Whilst this figure is heartbreaking for the families and friends of the victims, the response from Sir Keir Starmer, and accusations aimed at the PM and his Government was completely out of order.

Of course, mistakes were made but anyone can, with the benefit of hindsight, re-run the year, put on one side the small matter of exiting the EU with a reasonable deal and work on the principle that ‘if you don’t do anything, you can’t make mistakes’.