Mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for National Health Service (NHS) workforce and health care workers has been dropped, the Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed.
The rule was set to be imposed in April—meaning if NHS workers hadn’t had their first shot by Friday (Feb. 4) they would not be double-vaccinated in time to continue working.
Now Sajid Javid, has unveiled the guidance in the House of Commons on Monday (Jan. 31), setting out the mandatory jabs would be scrapped for health workers.
Javid said: “Given that Delta has been replaced, it’s only right that our policy on vaccination as a condition of deployment is reviewed. So I asked for fresh advice including from the UK Health Security Agency and England’s chief medical officer.”
Boris Johnson’s government expected to announce a U-turn on mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for National Health Service (NHS) and social care workers, according to reports.
JUST IN – Health Secretary Sajid Javid set to scrap mandatory Covid jabs for NHS and social care workers, The Telegraph reports.
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) January 30, 2022
Health secretary Sajid Javid has been facing pressure to scrap the requirement for health workers in England to be vaccinated by April amid fears it will lead to a major staffing crisis. Javid is set to meet ministers on the COVID-Operations Cabinet committee on Monday (Jan. 31) to confirm the U-turn.
NHS consultant Dr Steve James is "ecstatic" about an expected 'U-turn' on mandatory jabs for NHS staff and care home workers.
— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) January 31, 2022
"They absolutely need to reinstate care home workers who lost their jobs and there needs to be work done to look at the harm of this policy."@JuliaHB1 pic.twitter.com/UMggHm9jat
Ministers believe the move is justified because the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is milder than previous ones.
BREAKING: U-turn on mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS & social care workers.
— Double Down News (@DoubleDownNews) January 30, 2022
Sajid Javid set to scrap requirements after warnings of crippling staff shortages if jab policy went ahead.
@JeremyCorbyn told us it was a bad idea a month ago: pic.twitter.com/Y0rFdfAXZj
In tomorrow’s papers:
— Esther McVey (@EstherMcVey1) January 30, 2022
A U-turn on its way to stop mandatory vaccinations for NHS workers.
If this is true it is very good news & not before time.
It shouldn’t have been proposed in the first place – but I’m glad government has listened & are putting it right. pic.twitter.com/vI4SqDrz06
"I always thought healthy people wouldn't be offered the vaccine, I thought it was just going for vulnerable people" Dr Steve James.
— Darren (D.o.P) 🇬🇧 (@JannerDarren) January 31, 2022
The government is considering u turning on NHS vaccine mandate.
They have lied to you about every-single-thing for 2yrs.pic.twitter.com/JiWHU9ASzU
TREATMENT BREAKTHROUGH
— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) January 28, 2022
Today we have approved atezolizumab – a ground-breaking new drug for lung cancer.
This will be life-changing for hundreds of people and marks a significant development in our war on cancer.https://t.co/9DknKP6SdD