At last, a vaccine for Covid-19, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, has now been approved for use in the UK.
After all the misery that the virus has inflicted this year, this is surely a cause for celebration – however, some people are saying that they are against vaccinations for reasons that most scientists strongly disagree with.
Should there be consequences for those who refuse the vaccination, such as not being allowed on flights, or into sports events - or is that an unacceptable attack on our personal freedom?
This resources pack includes an article from The Week Junior newspaper, along with a sheet of activities designed to get children thinking, talking and writing about what the story means for them.
Activities include:
- The vaccine is a cause for celebration, yet some people are saying that they are against vaccinations for reasons that scientists strongly disagree with. It would not be appropriate to force people to take medication without their consent, but should there be consequences for those who refuse vaccination? After all, does anyone have the right to endanger others? Or would that be an unacceptable attack on our personal freedoms? In any case, as most people are likely to take the vaccine, it won’t matter if a few don’t… or will it? What do you think?
- Think of something that you strongly believe in, even if you know many others don’t. Write a convincing argument for believing what you do. Remember to use persuasive language and back your ideas up with facts.
- Write an advertisement for the new vaccine. It could be a poster with an eye-catching headline or the script and sound effects for a radio advert. Either way, make sure that you include a clear and compelling message that people will want to act on.
- There are a number of things which UK citizens are required by law to do in order to safeguard other people. List as many as you can and, if possible, outline the consequences of breaking that law.
Find the entire series of Topical Tuesday resources to download here.
What is The Week Junior?
The Week Junior magazine looks at current affairs and helps children make sense of the world, provides context and clarity to complex issues, improves general knowledge and encourages discussion and debate.
To find out more about The Week Junior and to download its free resources, please go to schools.theweekjunior.co.uk.