Call for Hartlepool teachers and frontline workers to get covid vaccine urgently

Council chiefs have backed calls to get as many teachers and frontline staff vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible.

It came as Denise McGuckin, Hartlepool Borough Council managing director, provided an update on steps being taken to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, at Thursday’s full council meeting.

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She added cases in Hartlepool are ‘declining significantly’ and as of Thursday there had been 290 cases in the past seven days, compared to more than 800 in a seven day period earlier this month.

She reported more good news was that all care home residents and staff in the borough have received their first vaccination, with adult and children’s care social workers now in the process of getting theirs.

Councillors also backed the council adding its voice to calls to provide vaccinations to frontline and teaching staff as soon as possible.

Cllr Marjorie James said: “A number of authorities, and certainly teaching unions, have been quite vocal over the last week or two about teachers being accepted as critical workers.

“I would lengthen that because it’s not just about teachers. When the child goes into school it’s not just the teacher that they need or meet, it’s the cleaning staff, it’s the dinner ladies, it’s everybody.

“We really need all of the staff who are relevant to our children being taught in a school setting and being safe there to be accepted as critical workers and to get their inoculations as soon as possible.

“That’s the only way that our children are going to be able to go back into school safely.”

Cllr John Tennant, who chaired the meeting, added it was important frontline workers were vaccinated as soon as can be arranged.

He said: “We need to get as many frontline workers vaccinated as soon as possible so we can get our economy and our schools and our community going again.”

Mrs McGuckin said they have already begun lobbying over the issue, and it is important staff working on the frontline within communities receive their vaccinations.

She said: “We’ve already started that lobbying, I totally agree that it’s really important that we get as many of our council working staff vaccinated.

“As you say they are actually out and about and in contact with communities, and we will continue to do that.

“The good news is that all care home residents and staff have received their first vaccination, and we are starting to also enable all our adult services social workers and children’s services social workers in the process of getting their vaccinations as well.”

She also reported the community testing centre is now live at Mill House Leisure Centre, for people who don’t have symptoms, and it is ‘promising’ the amount of bookings being taken.

Residents are encouraged to book and go for a test, with the facility open Monday to Saturday, from 10am until 6pm Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, and 8am until 4pm Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Mrs McGuckin also called for everyone to continue to follow the hands, face, space, guidance and to not leave their homes unless necessary, warning police are carrying out more enforcement action in the area.

She said: “It’s really important that you do not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse and police are starting to take enforcement action across the town.”

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