THE Reading and Wokingham branch of the Women’s Equality Party is calling for the government to prioritise childcare workers and all school staff for the next round of vaccines.
Louise Timlin, branch leader of Women’s Equality Party Reading and Wokingham said: “We support education leaders who are calling for early years and school staff to be prioritised in the next round of vaccinations.
“The Prime Minister announced a few weeks ago that early years settings should remain open to everyone, but that is simply not possible without urgent support.
“Already many early years settings have closed their doors, either temporarily or permanently, because of funding cuts, lack of testing and staff shortages.
“If we want schools and nurseries to open safely, then we have to make these workers a priority.”
Despite being classed as key workers, early years workers are not explicitly included in priority categories.
The Women’s Equality Party is organising an action called ‘home school the government’ on Saturday, where parents and childcare draw a picture to demonstrate the realities of childcare in a lockdown.