SCOTTISH Labour is calling for eligible school staff to be prioritised for the Covid-19 booster vaccine amid a rise in cases across the country. 

The Scottish government is under increased pressure to protect staff after the reopening of classrooms earlier this month. 

School workers are to be treated as a priority group for the winter flu vaccine, but with a decision over the Covid-19 jab to be made in the next few days, they are currently not included in any booster programme.

Record daily numbers of cases were recorded twice last week, including 6,835 new cases on Friday. 

Teaching unions raised serious concerns as a result, with the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) — the country’s largest teaching union — calling for continued caution with a sharp rise in cases among children. 

The union’s general secretary called for teenagers to be offered the jab, but Scottish Labour has now called for assurances that teaching staff will be prioritised for boosters in the coming months. 

Party education spokesperson Michael Marra MSP said: “Staff and pupil safety must be the absolute priority. It makes little sense to prioritise school staff for the winter flu jab, but not the Covid booster. 

“As the decision looms, the Scottish government must act. All through the pandemic they have been too slow to make decisions in the interests of safety and the continuity of learning. 

“The attainment impact of school closures has been immense, and there is no recognition from the government of the scale of the challenge, far less a plan to deal with it.”

A Scottish government spokesman said the safety of school pupils and staff has been a top priority throughout the pandemic and that plans for the booster programme will be published once final expert advice is confirmed.