Coronavirus vaccine priority for special school teachers: ‘Conclusion’ expected on Thursday says NI Education Minister Peter Weir

The minister confirmed a proposal to give priority to people working in special schools – which have remained open throughout the current lockdown even as other schools closed to face-to-face teaching – had been discussed briefly by the Northern Ireland Executive earlier today.

Trade unions and politicians from both Mr Weir’s own party, the DUP, and a range of other parties including the SDLP, Alliance and Sinn Fein, have been pushing for the prioritisation of vaccines to be altered to include teachers.

Yesterday, the News Letter revealed that the DUP were proposing such a move at the Stormont Executive this week.

In the Assembly, Mr Weir said the issue was discussed briefly during an Executive meeting and would be revisited on Thursday.

“We only got about five minutes into the level of discussion,” the minister said.

“To be fair to ministers, it is not something that can simply be bounced through in a matter of a few seconds, but I believe that it will be brought to a conclusion on Thursday.”

He continued: “I share with Members a desire to see a prioritisation for education staff, and I think that that needs to be taken on board by JCVI.”

The current priority list for vaccination has been drawn up for the UK as a whole by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Last week, Mr Weir expressed hope that the prioritisation could be “achieved within a UK-wide JCVI context.” In the Assembly yesterday, he suggested that is now being considered.

“A wider discussion is beginning on the issue, and it is important that we make our views clear,” he told MLAs.

“Specifically on special schools, my clear public and private view is that there needs to be a prioritisation for those working in special schools. They need to be part of the current [vaccination] phase.”