Glasgow South Side teachers make plea for covid vaccine priority

Yesterday Nicola Sturgeon announced that the city would stay in Level 3 for at least another week, largely due to Covid-19 hotspots that have flared up in the south of the city.

Three secondary schools said senior pupils would study at home in response to fears about the spread of the virus.

And teachers - who have previously called to be prioritised for the vaccine - reissued that plea.

Some teachers have been prioritised for vaccinations but only those who provide intimate care to pupils.

One, who asked not to be named, said: “This week has been very difficult.

“Why haven’t we been vaccinated when they are doing 18 to 39-year-olds?

“If there is a low take up of jabs and some left at the end of the day, why isn’t there a system to offer these to teachers in the South Side?

“They say the virus doesn’t transmit in schools but then they partially shut them for safety reasons.

“It feels a lot like we have been lied to quite a lot and told schools are safe when they are not.”

Years S4 to S6 at Shawlands Academy, Holyrood Secondary and Bellahouston Academy are studying at home with only those doing SQA assessments going in to school between May 24 and June 11.

Pupils in S1 to S3 are not affected except for those who are unwell or already self-isolating.

A spokeswoman for the EIS union said it had also asked the government to prioritise south side teachers for the vaccine and said it had asked Glasgow City Council to keep senior phase pupils at home.

Holyrood Secondary.

She added: “Clearly, the Covid situation in the Glasgow area is a cause for significant concern.

“The EIS local association in Glasgow has again asked for school staff to be prioritised for vaccination, which would be consistent with the approach taken in the community generally.

“So far, this request has been declined by the health authority.

“As keeping schools open remains a priority, it would seem to make sense to prioritise school staff for vaccinations also."

Teachers in the affected high schools and South Side primaries said they have written to Nicola Sturgeon to ask for support.

An anonymous teacher said: “We’ve taken a certain level of risk because things need to be able to reopen but more could be done to make us safe.

“There is no consistent information from call handlers either.

“Some colleagues have phoned up to ask about being vaccinated and they have been told they are eligible as key workers but then others have been told they are not.

“Why not keep the schools fully open and protect the teachers who are working in these schools?

“It feels like we’re really close to the end now - why not use this extra tool to keep teachers safe?

“Key workers have had a lot asked of them. We are asking people to put themselves in harm’s way and there’s something new now that can make a lot of people safer - wo why not give it to them?”

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “We understand that everyone in areas where we are seeing an increase in cases might be anxious but our public health colleagues continue to advise that the risk of transmission in schools remains low.

“With increased testing, accelerated roll out of the vaccines to residents and by continuing to following the advice and guidance to help stop the spread, we will hopefully see a difference in the very near future.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery.

"We recognise the important role teachers and educational workers play, particularly during the pandemic, and want to get vaccines to everyone as quickly as we can.

"The JCVI’s initial advice is focussed on preventing severe illness and loss of life, first and foremost and this is why it focusses on older people, and health and social care workers.

"Invitations have been issued to everyone aged 40 or over, with 30 to 39 year olds starting to be invited now.

"In the specific areas of Glasgow affected by the current outbreak, all 18 to 39 year olds are being invited with older age groups first.”