The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF have jointly called upon prioritizing the vaccination of teachers and school staff to enable opening of schools in Europe and Central Asia.
The UN agencies wrote in a statement that measures to ensure that schools can stay open throughout the pandemic include administering the teachers and other school staff with the COVID-19 vaccine as part of target population groups in national vaccination plans.
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“The recommendation, already made by a group of WHO experts in November 2020 before the vaccination roll-out, should be done while ensuring vaccination of vulnerable populations,” the statement said.
“It was vital that classroom-based learning continue uninterrupted,” the statement added.
Director of the WHO European region, Hans Kluge, said, “ This is of paramount importance for children’s education, mental health and social skills, for schools to help equip our children to be happy and productive members of society.”
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“The pandemic has caused the most catastrophic disruption to education in history,” he added.
The agencies have also urged countries to vaccinate children above the age of 12 who have underlying medical conditions and are thus at greater risk of severe COVID-19 disease. (AW)
