Concerns over ‘muddled’ Welsh Government social media messages on special school vaccinations

The Welsh Conservatives have expressed concern about what they have called “muddled” social media messaging from the Wesh Government over Covid-19 vaccinations.

Suzy Davies MS, the Shadow Minister for Education, said that the confusion showed that the Welsh Government should update the Welsh Parliament first rather than breaking news to the media and public.

The Welsh Government sent out a message on Facebook saying they were “extending the coronavirus vaccine to all staff working in special schools and to school and college staff who are at a higher risk from the virus”.

“We’re the first in the UK to make this commitment as part of our plan to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible,” they said.

However, they later put out a post backtracking on that statement.

“We’d like to clarify an earlier post in relation to staff in special schools and colleges with apologies for any misunderstanding caused,” they said.

“We’re extending the coronavirus vaccine to all staff providing intimate personal care for learners with complex medical needs in special schools, schools and colleges.”

‘Clarification’

Suzy Davies said the social media messages from the Welsh Government has “sown confusion” and “snuffed out a glimmer of hope” for school staff hoping that the Coronavirus vaccine will be rolled out to them.

“The relief that staff in special schools educating some of our most-vulnerable young people would have felt this evening has been cruelly snuffed out,” she said.

“First, we saw a social media post saying all staff in special schools would receive the vaccine.

“Then an hour or so later, we had another ‘clarifying’ the earlier one. Well, it did nothing of the sort and has only resulted in confusion for many, many people in Wales.

“Welsh Conservatives have consistently said that the Welsh Labour-led Government should not make policy announcements first to the media, and certainly not on social media on a Friday evening, but to the Members.

“We expect, and I’m sure that the staff of special schools, and the learners and their parents, to be given full clarification first thing tomorrow morning, and not via social media but in a way that allows proper scrutiny.”

Welsh Conservatives have called for the Covid vaccine to be introduced for teachers.