Coronavirus: Early years workers and teachers will not be prioritised for phase 2 of the vaccine

They have argued, along with teaching unions, that nursery workers and childminders should be prioritised once the first stage of vaccinating the elderly and most vulnerable groups had taken place.

However, today health secretary Matt Hancock said that the Government would continue with vaccinating groups by age, rather than by occupation, with those aged 40-49 to start to receive their jabs, once all at-risk groups in phase 1 have been offered their first dose of the vaccine. Joint research by the

The Early Years Alliance and independent sector analysts Ceeda last month revealed that one in 10 nursery and pre-school staff, and one in 12 childminders, had contracted Covid since 1 December.

Ofsted statistics have also revealed that incidences of positive cases in early years settings doubled over a week in January. 

Last week, early years organisations, children’s services and unions, called on the Government to ensure workers in early years settings, schools and colleges were prioritised during Phase 2 of the Covid vaccination programme.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Early Years Alliance, said, ‘It is incomprehensible that yet again, early years workers have been overlooked by the Government and told to wait for the vaccine. This is in spite of a spike in Covid case reports within the sector and the fact that early years providers have been open to all children throughout this latest lockdown. 

‘Nursery and pre-school workers cannot choose to work from home, while childminders welcome children from multiple families into their own homes. The children in their care need cuddles, help with mealtimes, nappy changes and so much more that cannot be offered from a distance. That means they risk their own and their families’ health on a daily basis, to ensure parents have access to childcare and that every child gets the best possible early education.’ 

He added that the announcement showed that ‘rhetoric about essential workers, is just that, rhetoric. If there was a genuine will to protect our educators, rather than just chasing top-line vaccine figures, I have no doubt it could be done just as quickly and efficiently as every other phase of the rollout to date.’

Voice Community, the education and early years section of Community, said that all early years and education staff must be brought forward for the vaccine as part of phase 2 of vaccinations, once the most vulnerable have been vaccinated, ahead of their wider age groups. 

Assistant general secretary of Community (Voice section) Deborah Lawson said, ‘This is a deeply disappointing decision. Education is supposedly the Government’s top priority, and early years and education staff have continued to work throughout the pandemic. They deserve better.  

‘Education and early years staff, along with other key workers, frequently cannot practise social distancing at work and have to come into close or actual contact with children or other adults, and therefore are obviously at more risk than those in occupations that can work from home, regardless of age.

‘Schools, colleges and nurseries have suffered severe staff shortages because of infections and the need to self-isolate when cases in a bubble are identified.

‘The thousands of staff in their 20s and 30s could potentially be the last group to be vaccinated, putting them and the children in their care at prolonged risk of catching or transmitting the virus.’

Teaching unions have also expressed their disappointment at the news.

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said, ‘The Government needs to make a policy decision on this matter having insisted that education is a national priority and having announced a “big bang” return to the classroom in England. It must now back that up by providing a clear direction that education staff will be prioritised in the next phase of the programme.

‘This is important not only in reassuring staff who it expects to work in busy and crowded environments, but also in terms of minimising disruption to education caused by staff absence as a result of Covid.’

Early years staff previously had hopes of a last-minute inclusion in the social care category of phase 1 dashed, when some were incorrectly told, including by the 119 NHS Covid Helpline, that they could book appointments, following the introduction of self-referral for social care workers. 

However, as we reported, some early years workers who had booked appointments were asked to cancel them.

What has the JCVI said?

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has considered the evidence for Phase 2 of the UK’s Covid-19 vaccination programme.

It said that evidence suggests an age-based approach remains the most effective way of reducing death and hospitalisation from Covid-19.

For Phase 2, modelling studies also indicate the speed of vaccine deployment is the most important factor in maximising public health benefits against severe outcomes.

After groups 1 to 9 in Phase 1, people aged 40 to 49 years are at highest risk of hospitalisation, with the risk reducing the younger you are.

Prioritisation would therefore continue in the following order, once all at-risk groups in Phase 1 have been offered at least one dose of the vaccine:

• all those aged 40 to 49 years
• all those aged 30 to 39 years
• all those aged 18 to 29 years

Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said, ‘Vaccinations stop people from dying and the current strategy is to prioritise those who are more likely to have severe outcomes and die from COVID-19.

‘The evidence is clear that the risk of hospitalisation and death increases with age. The vaccination programme is a huge success and continuing the age-based rollout will provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time, including to those in occupations at a higher risk of exposure.’

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisations at Public Health England (PHE), added, 'The age-based approach will ensure more people are protected more quickly. It is crucial that those at higher risk – including men and BAME communities – are encouraged to take the vaccine, and that local health systems are fully engaged and reaching out to underserved communities to ensure they can access the vaccine.'

JCVI will continue closely monitoring the impact of the programme including vaccine safety, effectiveness and uptake, and will update its advice as required.