35,000-strong petition calls for Covid vaccine to be given to early years workers

Over 35,000 people have signed a petition launched by a Rochdale nursery practitioner, calling for the Covid-19 vaccine to be given to all early years workers.

Nurseries in England, including the Rochdale borough, have remained open during the third national lockdown, which began on 5 January. Currently, early years practitioners are not classed as a government priority for the vaccination.

Sarah Dawson launched the petition on Change.org in February, echoing calls by leading early years organisations National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) and Early Years Alliance to prioritise those working in childcare and early years for vaccination.

A joint statement from the three organisations, which collectively represent around 50,000 childcare providers, says: “Vaccinations for early years providers must be offered on a national basis and providers should not have to contend with a post-code lottery for access to the protection they deserve as they carry out their vital roles.”

Ms Dawson said: “I am petitioning on behalf of myself and my work colleagues; we work in a chain of private day nurseries.

“We have been open throughout the whole pandemic and have been putting ourselves at risk to look after key worker children and most currently all children aged from 0 to 4 years old.

“We are writing this petition as we are now becoming very angry, bitter, and upset that we still are unable to qualify for the Covid-19 vaccination.

“We're here on a daily basis looking after children who we all care deeply for and would do anything to protect these children.”

Ms Dawson added the decision made by the government and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) not to prioritise nursery staff for vaccination made her 'feel like we are just being stamped on and pushed to one side by the government, the local councils and by others'.
 

Read more: Phase two of the Covid-19 vaccination programme to be determined by agePublished: 26 February 2021

She continued: “What about us? Are we not entitled to these vaccinations? Are we not on the front line enough compared to these people sat at home or the people who are not working? Are we not putting our own lives at risk to make sure others can work? 

“We are here following rules without PPE, without regular testing, without being on full pay if we have to be off due to bubbles closing and without support money from the government because, apparently, we earn too much. We're sat here working and putting ourselves and our families at risk to ensure others can go on – and we have had enough.”

Ms Dawson told of how at the nursery chain where she works, two sites have closed fully since September due to 17 combined members of staff contracting Covid-19: “This has happened even though we spend our days making sure we are doing the right thing.

“We have social bubbles, we're cleaning toys, handles, switches, you name it, we clean it.

“Our staff are not abusing the system for the vaccine, yet we seem to be the ones at fault and putting ourselves at even more risk whilst others around us are still gaining unnecessary vaccinations.”

Ms Dawson continued: “Nursery workers appeared on the government careers’ page being classed as social care workers, but the council told us we weren’t and said not to go for, or book, the vaccine as we would be turned away.

“So why are other people who are not within the priority groups getting phone calls to book them in for the vaccine. Why are they not being turned away? Why have they got priority over us who are working on the frontline, who are scared to come to work, who are scared to go home and be taking the virus home?”

The NHS websites states that social care workers can currently book a vaccination, but there has been some confusion over which careers are classed as social care.

The government’s National Careers Service website lists childminders, nursery workers and managers, plus nannies and other occupations under social care. However the Department for Education has said childminders and early years workers come under the 'education' sector.

The National Careers Service has clarified that its site is not intended to be used for prioritising staff for vaccines. In a statement to the Early Years Alliance, it said: "The National Careers Service allows people to explore career choices and opportunities, broadening their career horizons.

“The National Careers Service does not serve to present a strict classification of professional groupings and should be not used to prioritise staff for Covid-19 vaccines."

Headteachers in the Rochdale borough were written to last month by the council, asking that school staff respect the priority groups and not jump the vaccination queue by booking appointments without an invitation.

An email from the council – leaked to The Mill – sent to all headteachers in the borough says 'some school based staff (and others), who are not part of the priority groups identified by government' are using a booking link intended for NHS staff and social care workers so they can be vaccinated, despite not being in a priority group.
 

Read more: School staff urged not to jump vaccination queue by booking appointments via link meant for NHS staffPublished: 03 February 2021

At the end of February, the government announced the majority of early years staff would be provided with lateral flow testing kits, to self-swab twice a week at home before travelling to work.

A blog update from the Department for Education says that early years staff in the 'most vulnerable groups' are 'already receiving their vaccinations, in line with Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations’ advice'.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has claimed that priority based on jobs would be 'more complex' and could slow down the programme, whilst vaccinating in age order is the fastest way to cut deaths.

Vaccinations are progressing through the committee’s first phase priority groups – which does not include those working with 'children under 16 who do not have underlying health conditions leading to greater risk of disease or mortality and children who have no underlying health conditions'.

To sign the petition, please visit Change.org:

• www.change.org/p/boris-johnson-for-nursery-practitioners-to-be-able-to-get-the-covid-19-vaccination