Call for teachers to be among vaccine priority
The NEU Cymru plea comes as a Swansea Comprehensive School says it will move to online and blended learning for most pupils this week
Last updated 7th Dec 2020
Teachers should be added to the vaccine priority list according to the teaching union NEU.
Stuart Williams, Policy Officer for NEU Cymru said teaching should be prioritised after health and social care workers, to protect pupils, their families and staff.
But he said changes could also be made to the school system:
"There needs to be guaranteed access to broadband and laptops for those who need to self isolate because of a positive case in their school.A possible system is a rota system where you have alternate weeks in class so that young people could learn online and in classrooms the next.
"That would allow greater social distancing and less contact in crowded classrooms."
Its as a Swansea comprehensive school tells parents it will be stopping on-site learning for the majority of from Thursday. Children of NHS workers, those with additional learning needs and those who need to be there for well-being reasons can still attend. It after numerous teachers contracted the virus and others were required to self-isolate.
Bishopston Comprehensive pupils will be learning remotely from this Thursday - though children of NHS staff can go in, or for well-being reasons.
Headteacher Jeff Bird told parents:
"Our position on Friday was that we had 775 pupils self-isolating and close to 40 staff either with positive tests or having received notification to self-isolate.
"Unfortunately these staff numbers have grown again over the weekend with another positive case confirmed and more needing to self-isolate.
"Over the last week we have just about managed to keep the school running by employing up to 10 supply teachers each day but from an operational perspective we feel this is unsustainable for the rest of the term."
The Council had asked schools to keep going until the end of term.
Health services across the UK say they've spent the weekend preparing for the rollout of coronavirus vaccinations - with the first injections due to take place tomorrow.
We're set to hear more about the roll-out from Health Minister Vaughan Gething this lunchtime.
The first batches of jabs arrived at hospitals yesterday.