People working with the most critically vulnerable children and young people across Dudley borough are being invited to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

The national Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation says that the vaccine should be given to those at risk from coronavirus with priority based on age and those who are clinically vulnerable.

The committee also says that those working with clinically vulnerable adults and children should be given priority for vaccination.

This includes those working in people’s own homes, day centres, care homes for working age adults, supported housing and special schools.

The vaccine is already being rolled out to those working with clinically vulnerable adults and will now be given to those working with clinically vulnerable children.

The council is working with the NHS to arrange for staff to be invited to receive the vaccine at one of the mass vaccination centres.

This will complement the existing vaccination roll out in Dudley. Councillor Ruth Buttery, cabinet member for children’s services, said:

“I welcome the roll out of the NHS led vaccination programme across Dudley and I’m delighted that staff caring for clinically vulnerable children will start to be vaccinated including those working in special schools.

“Not so long ago I was calling for teachers and staff working within schools to be prioritised for the vaccine so we can get children back into schools, where they belong, as quickly as possible.

“I still stand by that and I will continue to lobby for teachers and staff to be vaccinated but I see today’s news as a fantastic step in the right direction.”