Echo readers have called for teachers to be prioritised for the coronavirus vaccine.

Teachers are still having to head into the classroom to teach children from key worker families as well as vulnerable children, meaning they are still spending extensive periods of time around pupils.

Echo reader Julie Huggins is among those who believe teachers should be moved up the ladder to enable children to return to school.

She said: “Any frontline worker should take priority. I am 72 this year and retired like millions of others.

“I can stay at home and have limited interaction with the public and just do my shopping early for a couple of months longer. I do not have a problem at all. Take care of people who have to work for a living every day.”

Julia Bering added: “Without a doubt, teachers should be prioritised for the vaccine.

“Although I’m one of those in the older category, I would gladly give my vaccine to a teacher.

“People like me don’t go out a lot, so there is less chance of getting Covid.”

Residents believe teachers are among those most at risk to catch the virus.

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Verity Slater said: “Teachers are helping the country to keep running and they are doing a vital service that we need.

“We need children to get back into education and teachers need the jab.

“One of my children is at a special educational needs school, where it is fully open and the staff cannot socially distance as nearly all children require personal care. Teachers should be offered the vaccine as soon as possible.”

Angela Nash added: “All of those in close, physical contact through their job should get the jab.”

Anna Allen said: “Early years teachers should be included due to unavoidable close contact.”

However, south Essex teacher Katrina Thomas-Henry insists she would not feel comfortable getting vaccinated ahead of vulnerable members of the community.

She said: “As a teacher, I’d feel bad getting the jab before someone who is vulnerable or older.

“A lot of the teachers at my school are under 30. If the testing in schools goes ahead, like originally planned, then surely we are safer than other key workers coming into contact with members of the public who perhaps haven’t been tested regularly.”