United Kingdom schools threatened with legal action over mandatory COVID jabs

Headteachers of the United Kingdom schools have been threatened to face legal action if they participate actively in the COVID immunisation campaign. Pressure group Lawyers for Liberty cautioned that if parents' complaints are ignored, school employees may be held responsible for the vaccination of children. According to BBC, vaccinations for 12- to 15-year-olds will be administered by health professionals rather than school personnel in UK schools. 

Moreover, millions of people over the age of 12 have got the vaccination in nations that are currently provided it to teens. Regardless of the fact that vaccinations are provided in school settings, it is commonly assumed that school employees will have no part in the immunisation campaign.  

The letter that circulated in UK schools

As per BBC, a letter from Lawyers for Liberty has been broadly distributed to schools which states, "exercising their parental responsibility during the decision-making process". The letter reads that when a parent informs the schools that their kid will not be vaccinated or does not grant permission, then that choice must be honoured with no additional implications for the kid, particularly direct or indirect discrimination or pressure. It went on to say that if they failed to do so, this may lead to legal action being taken against the teachers as well as the school. 

Experts opinion on legal action over COVID jabs

According to a BBC report, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, Geoff Barton informed that most of his colleagues have been getting letters from several pressure groups frightening schools and colleges telling legal actions will be taken against them if they participate in any Covid-vaccination campaign. He further expressed that this is highly unhelpful, and they request that whoever is participating in this letter must refrain from putting pressure on schools and universities. 

Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers stated that immediate clarity on the vaccination campaign was required. He further said that it is important that the administration must clarify that the vaccination procedure will be handled and monitored fully by authorised medical experts, not school personals. He went on to say that if parents have queries regarding critical issues like consent, those should be answered by the medical professionals, otherwise, headteachers will be forced into an untenable situation in which they have to address issues for which they have no solutions.  

Each year, as part of national NHS-run immunisation campaigns, students in various schools undergo vaccinations against various diseases with the agreement of their parents, guardians, and caregivers. Sajid Javid, the health secretary of the United Kingdom, stated that the decision to vaccinate to COVID-19 disease was based on professional advice from the country's leading researchers and vaccine specialists. He further said that he has agreed to the Chief Medical Officers' suggestion to increase immunisation to those aged 12 to 15, safeguarding young people against COVID-19, decreasing the infection in schools, and protecting students in school.

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