Calls for teachers to be vaccinated during half-term
Local Labour MP Luke Pollard says it would ensure schools can safely reopen in March
A Plymouth MP has joined calls for teachers to get the coronavirus vaccine over the February half-term, in order to safely reopen schools in March.
He is calling on the Government to use the natural break to vaccinate all of Plymouth's school staff, allowing three weeks to build immunity before reopening schools on 8 March.
Labour is calling for keyworkers in critical professions to be added to the first phase of the vaccination programme, alongside JCVI categories 5-9.
The half term break follows the Government's target date for the top four priority groups to be vaccinated.
Luke said:
"I want to see our city's schools safely reopen as soon as possible. The best way of doing this is to prioritise school staff for the vaccination as soon as the priority groups have had the jab. The natural break at half term would allow immunity to be built up before schools reopen in March.
"The vaccine is the only way out of the horrors of the pandemic and is the best way to safely reopen schools.
"Adopting this plan put forward by Keir Starmer would help ensure schools are safe to reopen, reassuring our city's amazing school staff, and offer our children a return to the classroom. This is a good, sensible proposal and I hope the Prime Minister adopts it."