Question reference: S5W-34769
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 25 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government in which priority group for the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme will teachers in (a) mainstream and (b) special needs schools be included.
Answer
The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that the risk increases exponentially with age. Additionally the committee considers frontline health and social care workers who provide direct care to vulnerable people a high priority for vaccination.”
The JCVI priority lists represents 90% of the preventable mortality from COVID-19 and throughout the delivery of the vaccination programme we will be guided by the clinical expertise of the JCVI, the Medicines and Health Regulatory Agency(MHRA), and our own senior clinical advisers.
In line with the UK-wide JCVI clinical advice, staff working with children and young people with the most complex healthcare needs, particularly those with severe neuro-disabilities, are included in those who will be prioritised for the vaccine.
Teachers in the mainstream schools are not on the priority list, however, those who fall in the JCVI priority list due their age or underlying health condition will be offered a vaccine.