EARLY Years workers have been ‘thrown under the Covid bus’ according to a senior figure in the industry. When Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the national lockdown on Monday, schools closed and moved to remote learning. However, Early Years settings remained open in a decision which has divided workers. Kate Barlow is the chair of governors at the ACE Centre Nursery in Chipping Norton. She said: “I was flabbergasted by the decision, it was almost like all Early Years workers were picked up and thrown under the Covid bus without a clear scientific explanation. “All Early Years workers are alongside the age group dubbed ‘the super-spreaders’ and that’s no fault of the children as they are young and don’t understand all hygiene issues.