Make teachers priority for booster jabs, scientists say

Rapid transmission of omicron expected within schools

- SAMUEL LOVETT

Teachers should be prioritised for booster jabs and children aged over five should be vaccinated, scientists say, as the rapid spread of omicron threatens mass school closures in the new year. Schools in London, West Bromwich and Chester have been closed in recent days due to outbreaks, two of which were linked to omicron. And 208,000 pupils in English state schools were absent at the end of last month due to Covid-related reasons, according to government estimates.

Experts fear there could be a million omicron infections by the end of the month, and scientists argue schools need to be better protected after Christmas to avoid disruption and keep pupils and teachers safe. Health secretary Sajid Javid has refused to rule out school closures in January, saying at the weekend “there are no guarantees”.

Deepti Gurdasani, a clinical epidemiologist at Queen Mary University London, said: “We can expect rapid transmission within schools, which is likely to cause mass disruption, and potentially school closures unless the government takes urgent action.”