Fórsa has welcomed the proposed prioritisation of education staff and other key workers in the ‘provisional vaccine allocation groups’ published by the health department last week. These groups will be among those prioritised to receive the Covid-19 vaccination once it’s approved for use in Ireland.

Those working in education are listed as 11th priority in HSE plans for the vaccine’s roll-out.

Fórsa’s head of education, Andy Pike welcomed the confirmation that schools and other staff are among the priority groups.

“SNAs and other schools staff are to be prioritised because of the essential roles they carry out in maintaining education provision during the pandemic where they themselves cannot maintain a social distance.

“Forsa has been making the case for schools staff such as SNAs, secretaries and caretakers to be amongst the priority groups and this Government decision is welcome,” he said.

Fórsa subsequently met the HSE and the Department of Education and Skills to discuss how the vaccination programme will work.

Fórsa has also convinced the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) to include reception areas and public counters as areas where the use of face masks should be considered. This was set out in new guidance issued earlier this month. See point 1.8 in this FAQ document.

Fórsa said the high priority given to frontline health workers, who will be the second group prioritised for vaccination, was expected. The union added that the inclusion of health service support staff as the fourth group was also necessary and welcome.

The union said it would press for certain frontline local authority staff, community sector workers and civil servants – including those in social welfare offices and customs and border posts – to be included as key workers in essential jobs who can’t avoid a high risk of exposure.

The Government subsequently published a detailed national vaccination strategy, which will see Covid vaccines rolled out by a range of qualified health professionals in three phases, with the highest priority groups receiving the vaccines first.

The strategy says vaccines will be administered from long-term care facilities, hospitals, mass vaccination clinics, GP surgeries and community pharmacies.

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