Calls for South Yorkshire nursery staff to get Covid vaccine priority

A Sheffield nursery's written a song for Boris Johnson about it

Author: Ben BasonPublished 2nd Feb 2021

Early years teachers in South Yorkshire tell us they're 'living on a knife edge' and need priority access to the Covid vaccine.

The debate's continuing over who should get the jab after the main priority groups, with Labour calling for teachers to get it during February half term.

Jayne Linley from Woodlands Nursery in Sheffield says staff there should be getting vaccinated along with other front line workers:

"We understand that we need to stay open - under 5s cannot be cared for online. As a sector, early years is the most crucial part of child development. It's vital for these young people to be able to still keep coming to nursery.

"We come to work every day with a smile on our faces. We absolutely love our job - it's a vocation. We just don't want to be cast aside any more. We just want to be recognised for what we're doing.

"We're delivering vital care and education and we're living on a knife edge at the moment staying open."

The nursery, in Stannington, has created a music video which they've posted on Twitter urging the Prime Minister to recognise early years workers by prioritising them for the jab,

Jayne has this message for the government:

"Please prioritise us, value us for what we're doing. We're making a significant sacrifice every day. We need to be prioritised for the vaccine.

"We are frontline workers and we do need to be prioritised. We have very elaborate health and safety precautions at the moment to keep us safe but we're still at risk. We're caring for these young people but we're still at risk."

The government says it's on track to vaccinate the top four priority groups by mid February.

More than 9.2 million people have had their first dose so far.

Social care workers, hospital staff and care home workers are currently on the government's priority list.

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