Childcare providers should be given higher priority with Covid-19 vaccine

Richard Conway, CEO and Founder of Childcare.co.uk, the UK’s largest online platform for parents, childcare providers and private tutors, calls for childcare providers to be given greater prioritisation with the Covid-19 vaccine: “Confirmed coronavirus cases in early years settings, including childminders, pre-schools and nurseries, have now reached their highest ever point. The latest figures from this week showed 2,824 early years settings reported Covid-19 cases in the first week of February alone. The number of individual cases is likely to be much higher. Covid-19 cases might be going down across the country but they are still accelerating in early years settings. Despite this, childcare providers are currently not given any priority over other people in their age group to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

“It is absolutely imperative that childcare providers are given a higher priority in receiving the vaccine. We know parents, and childcare providers themselves, are extremely worried without this prioritisation and do not feel safe going to work to look after these children. Childcare providers have been continuing to work throughout the pandemic, providing a lifeline for parents who are still working, such as our frontline key workers and this dedication needs acknowledgement.”

Further detail on how reported coronavirus cases in early years settings have continue to rise is available here: https://www.childcare.co.uk/news/reported-cases-of-cornavirus-continue-to-rise