Pope John XXIII
Vital Football Legend
I don't have a problem with the priority list, as I am not an epidemiologist with the expertise to say who goes where.Ok. I obviously misunderstood. So what does this mean, as it implies teachers shouldn't be treated like the rest of the population. "Go swing" also implies you aren't too happy with the way the government is allocating the vaccine.
My issue is with the growing suspicion that the rest of the population won't be vaccinated at all.
The government has been deliberately vague about this. I believe the September priority list stated "rest of the population as appropriate" which I find suspicious. Hancock himself has suggested in the past that the under 55s may not automatically have access to it at all. Last week he was talking about "almost the whole population by Easter" but it's very much a case of 'i'll believe it when I see it".
Should the under 55s not receive the vaccine I would be rather miffed. We are, after all, paying for it and will be for many years.
In terms of priority, I think there is some merit to having certain public servants done at the front of the under 55 queues. Not because of an especial danger to our health but in order to support as rapid a return to normal as possible.
For instance, it makes perfect sense to vaccinate police and fire services ASAP outside of the high priority groups; not sure if it's still the case, but police had to double up on cars because they couldn't share one. If an officer has to self isolate for a fortnight it puts strain on everyone else.
Same with fire. It makes sense, in order to keep a public service running well, to vaccinate them. Same as the teachers; if the government is serious about having as little disruption to education as possible then the obvious thing to do is vaccinate the teachers. It is our absence for 10-14 days that causes schools to end up shut.
I think there is also merit in terms of combating vaccine hesitancy as well. Everyone knows a teacher and many meet the police day to day; if public servants like them have been vaccinated, it is a positive advert for the safety of the vaccine.