Covid jabs to become mandatory for care home staff in England

[Northerner]

Covid vaccinations are to become mandatory for care home staff under plans to be announced by ministers, as they consider extending the move to all NHS staff.

The controversial measure sets up a likely battle with staff in both services and could lead to the government being sued under European human rights law or equalities legislation for breaching the freedom of people who work in caring roles to decide what they put into their bodies.

The Guardian understands that ministers will confirm they are pushing ahead with compulsory vaccination for most of the 1.5 million people working in social care in England, despite employer and staff organisations in the sector warning that it could backfire if workers quit rather than get immunised. Under the plans those working with adults will have 16 weeks to get vaccinated or face losing their jobs.

The government is also keen to make it mandatory for the 1.38 million people who are directly employed by the NHS in England to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and winter flu – proposals that have already been criticised by groups representing doctors, nurses and other staff.

Covid jabs to become mandatory for care home staff in England

Exclusive: ministers considering extending compulsory vaccination measure to all NHS staff

www.theguardian.com

 

[trophywench]

Well - and don't ask me about legalities cos I don't know - our 17 yo granddaughter, who has a part time evening job cleaning at the hospital, was the first of our whole family to have a jab, in January - and then her second earlier the same. We didn't get our first until January 31st! Her 40+ yo mother was ages after.

She said then they didn't need to discuss it, that it should be compulsory. She was already having to wear PPE to empty the (rubbish, not clinical waste) bins in the wards, prior to her jab (and since anyway) so if you could catch it from the bins it was too much risk otherwise and deliberately told us both before Christmas she was sorry but wasn't going to come and see us and risk putting us at risk! Then she asked us when we were having our second one - and asked if she could come on the bus (several buses) once she thought it ought to be OK several weeks after our second.

If a 17yo kid can be as sensible as that ........