Dear Constituent,

Thank you for your correspondence about teachers and the vaccine.

I completely agree with you that the best place for young people to be is safely at school and I know the Government is working hard to get children back into school as soon as is possible healthwise.

Of course, I am delighted that the vaccine roll-out is going so well and I hope it will continue to do so.

I know that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have set out updated guidance on priority groups for Covid-19 vaccination. The Committee has considered evidence on the risk of exposure and risk of mortality by occupation and I am pleased that anyone aged over 50, including teachers, will be eligible for vaccination within the first phase of the programme.

In addition, anyone who is under 50, but has an underlying health condition which puts them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality, including teachers, will be eligible for vaccination within phase 1 of the programme. 

The JCVI have indicated that occupational prioritisation could form part of a second phase of the programme, which would include healthy individuals from 16 years of age up to 50 years of age, subject to consideration of the latest data on vaccine safety and effectiveness.

The Government assures me they will be considering this very carefully and I will be sure to closely follow progress in this area.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.

Yours,

EDWARD LEIGH MP