Police officers have no choice but to face the public, they need vaccine priority

22 February 2021

Essex Police Officers need to be nearer the front of the queue for COVID vaccinations because they have ‘no choice’ in having to deal with the public face to face.

Essex Police Federation says NHS staff, the elderly and the vulnerable have rightly been prioritised but wants to see officers’ jabs higher up on the list.

Home Secretary Priti Patel told policing to ‘be ready’ to get their vaccination, but no news as to when that might happen has been released by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Vaccination Minister Nadhim Zahawi recently said no official discussions or decisions had been made about when police officers and teachers might get jabbed but that the ‘critical role of the professions’ would be talked about by the committee.

It’s a conversation that needs to happen sooner rather than later, Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie said, given members’ crucial front-line role.

“It’s certainly been my view, and I know it’s the same with the Chief that we should be moved up the priority list,” she said.

“That’s not ahead of any of the other priority groups; the clinically vulnerable, the elderly and NHS should always come before us.

“But I do think we’re up there with teachers, and other key workers.

“We’re seeing the effect that it’s having in relation to schooling and the extra pressure it’s also putting on members, where they’re having to stay at home, doing home-schooling.

“We have no choice on occasions going hands on in order to effect an arrest, prevent a crime and to protect the public, we have to be around people in the job.

“There isn’t the option to stand back and maintain that distance because policing doesn’t allow for it. And officers are having to put themselves at risk in order to just do their day-to-day duties, and that should be recognised,” Laura added.

“The sooner we can find a new normal, then people can start getting on with their lives a little bit better.”