UK government split over NHS Covid-vax mandate

NHS staff should be forced to have the jab BEFORE winter says former Health Secretary Matt Hancock as his successor Sajid Javid plans to delay law until April | Daily Mail - Luke Andrews: 

7 November 7, 2021 - "NHS workers should be forced to get two doses of the Covid vaccine before winter, disgraced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock said today. Mr Hancock — who quit in June after breaching his own social distancing rules by kissing a married colleague — said the move would act as another 'tool to save lives' during what is projected to be a harsh winter for the health service. He also scorned NHS staff who are still not vaccinated and don't have a valid medical reason, warning that it was their 'moral duty' and that they had 'ignored all the scientific and clinical advice'.

"Ministers have for weeks been considering whether to make Covid jabs compulsory within the health service after pushing through the requirement for care home workers in the summer. But last week the Health Secretary Sajid Javid appeared to push back the plans until April after being warned by NHS bosses that introducing the policy now could leave hospitals understaffed at a crucial period. There are also concerns about whether the move is even necessary, given that more than nine in 10 NHS staff are already vaccinated.

"Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Hancock, who was Health Secretary for three years, warned ministers against delaying compulsory vaccinations for the sector into the new year. He said: 'Having looked at all the evidence, I am now convinced we must require vaccination for everyone who works not just in social care but the NHS — and get it in place as fast as possible... So as we prepare to a face a difficult winter, let's use all the tools we have to save lives'.... Mr Hancock said doctors and nurses had a 'moral duty' to get the Covid vaccine to protect their patients.

"A SAGE adviser said today it was a 'general standard of hygiene' for anyone in a frontline role in contact with vulnerable patients to be double-vaccinated against Covid. But they stopped short of calling for jabs to be made compulsory, saying this should only be done as a 'last resort'. 

"All care home workers will be required to have had two doses of the Covid vaccine from Thursday or lose their jobs, under a policy brought in while Mr Hancock was Health Secretary."

Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10176229/NHS-staff-forced-jab-winter-says-former-Health-Secretary-Matt-Hancock.html

Some 100,000 NHS workers are yet to get at least one dose of the Covid vaccine. The above graph shows the

percentage that have got their first dose (blue line) and the percentage with both doses (orange line) - Daily Mail