Brussels (Brussels Morning) Anyone who works as a teacher or childcare worker in Flemish primary education can receive priority for a booster shot. But that is not happening in Brussels for the time being, not even for staff of Flemish schools. Flemish MP Hannelore Goeman (Vooruit) asks the Brussels health inspectorate to work on a priority booster.
As of this week, the communities have the option to give priority to teachers and childcare providers for a booster shot, as long as the regular injection flows are not slowed down. Vaccination centers can therefore give them priority after registration if sufficient vaccines are available. They decide for themselves about the modalities – it must be done through reservation or taking up places that have become available.
This is already happening in several places in Flanders. Municipalities invite the teachers and childcare workers who work in schools and crèches on their territory for vaccination in the vaccination center with which they work. But according to Flemish Member of Parliament Hannelore Goeman (Vooruit), Flemish teachers in Brussels schools are left out for the time being.
“We should use these three vacation weeks efficiently to put as many booster vaccines as possible”, said Hannelore Goeman (SP.A) in the Flemish Parliament. “The Joint Community Commission (GGC) has not yet taken the initiative to roll this out in Brussels. As a result, teachers and childcare providers are not invited as a priority for a booster shot,” says Goeman to BRUZZ . “That is doubly sour for the many teachers and counselors who live in Flanders and work in Dutch-language education in Brussels. They fall between two chairs.”
Vaccination moment after school hours
Goeman proposes that the GGC should also provide open slots in Brussels vaccination centers for these Flemish teachers. “So that, for example, a teacher can be vaccinated on a specific day, without an appointment, after school hours,” said the Schaerbeek politician. The GGC should set up the practical organization of this, but also inform and invite the teachers and supervisors.
Now that a vacation week is being held in education this week, Goeman thinks it is especially important that schools can restart after the Christmas holidays. “We should use these three weeks as efficiently as possible to put in the booster vaccines. The more teachers are protected, the less dropout and the more we can guarantee education. The vaccines are available so that should be perfectly possible.”
Source: Bruzz