This week, Health Minister Chris Fearne noted that once the vaccine is in Malta, first priority will be given to those who come into contact with the vulnerable, including nurses, pharmacists, police and civil protection officers and those over the age of 80. Today, the Union of Professional Educators is calling on the government to also include educators among the frontliners, giving them first priority to receive the COVID jab.

“The union urges the government to consider our educators as frontliners at this point in time, given the large number of people they are being exposed to on a daily basis, thus substantially increasing the risk of contracting and spreading the virus involuntarily,” the statement reads.

“The numerous cases found in schools over the past months and the consequent periods of self-isolation, or quarantine, our educators have been having to face, have been burdening our educators both in terms of work and syllabi requiring to be completed within a stipulated timeframe, as well as psychologically as a result of the anxiety, stress, and strain in these uncertain times.”

“Allowing our educators the possibility to receive the non-mandatory vaccination would reduce the risk of having schools understaffed, or functioning haphazardly, due to sporadic outbreaks, or individual cases, amongst educators,” they said, also noting educators have been working tirelessly to ensure that the education children deserve is delivered, despite the unexpected twists and turns they’ve had to face due to the pandemic.