The Government must take immediate action to prioritise vaccinations for educators
The Joint Media Release by the IEU, AEU and UWU on July 13, 2021, called upon on the federal Health Minster, Greg Hunt, to prioritise vaccinations for educators. This was on the back of a local media release by the IEU and AEU calling on Minister Gardner to prioritise vaccinations. This is not a call for mandatory vaccinations.
No specific action has been taken by either government. Their answer was simply that educators fall into existing vaccination categories. Seriously?
Since those media releases, daily cases in New South Wales are well over 100. Predictions are that New South Wales may not be out of full lockdown until mid-September.
South Australia and Victoria are on the cusp of leaving snap lockdowns, however, travel and border restrictions remain in place for state and international travel.
In the past few weeks, momentum has been building in the media, questioning the federal government’s handling of the COVID vaccination program, with international media outlets publishing headlines such as:
- ‘A search for villains’: As Australia’s outbreak grows, so does covid shaming – Washington Post
- Covid: How Delta exposed Australia’s pandemic weaknesses – BBC News
- Sydney in lockdown, borders shut and hardly anyone vaccinated. How long can Australia go on like this? – CNN Web Edition
Channel Seven has interviewed federal politicians asking why educators are not at the front of the queue for vaccinations if schools are so critical to our economic recovery. Their answers? Join the queue…
Even during an SA Government Media Update on vaccinations, Health Minister Stephen Wade deflected the vaccination call as it ‘wasn’t clinical advice from ATAGI’ (Channel 7 News, 21 July).
And yet, South Australia Police Commissioner Grant Stevens has called on high school teachers and their students to wear masks on their return, but not primary school teachers or students. SA Health, therefore, perceive there is a risk to educators and their students.
The simplest solution? Get teachers and support staff vaccinations prioritised and reduce unnecessary delays to the vital education of their students.
The IEU will not stop fighting on members’ behalf for priority vaccinations for educators.
Sources
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-25/covid19-delta-variant-lockdowns-how-we-got-here/100318394
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-57647413
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/23/covid-australia-lockdown-shaming/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grlosy1VfU8 – Channel Seven
