Rosie Oliver makes a case for putting teachers and all education staff in priority groups for Covid-19 vaccines, while Ruth Gilbert wonders whether vaccinations for care home workers should be mandatory
Friday 5 March must have felt like “Good Friday” in many homes – the final day to get through home schooling! But for many school staff it may well have felt like “Bad Friday”. Next week many teachers will face the influx of their long-awaited pupils, having had no vaccines offered to them, and with no mandatory rules set on face coverings (Secondary schools ask for clarity from UK government on face masks, 2 March).
Teachers and university lecturers have worked hard to deliver quality online lessons over the last few months, and while they may be looking forward to having their students back in the classroom, without the protection vaccines could have given adults in teaching establishments, it’s going to be a risky time. The virus could have a field day – only time will tell.