Calls mounting for police officers to receive Covid vaccine

Home Secretary Priti Patel today said she was working on ensuring police were ready to be prioritised for the jab.

And the comments come after Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said she was “baffled” about why frontline officers were not closer to the front of the queue to receive the vaccine.

Asked whether she wanted to see police “bumped up the queue”, Ms Patel told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It is police, fire and other frontline workers, and the Health Secretary and myself are working to absolutely make that happen – I’ll be very clear about that.

“This isn’t just something we are thinking about. There is a lot of work taking place in Government right now.

“If the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) says that is a possibility, we can make it happen. We have the supply, the logistical plans in place – we will absolutely work to make that happen.”

It comes after Stockton South Conservative MP Matt Vickers yesterday urged the Government to push police officers up the list.

He said: “Even the Government’s most staunch critics would have to say the vaccine roll

out thus far has been nothing short of astounding. That is primarily down to our wonderful NHS and world leading scientists who have been working around the clock, day in and day out.

“That being said, I think there is a real case to be made for our frontline officers alongside others in society, such as supermarket workers and teachers - all who are on the frontline to be vaccinated as soon as possible. They have heroically remained at the frontline in the fight against Covid-19, putting themselves and their families at risk to ensure we try and keep the general public safe. We must in turn do all we can to keep them safe and healthy, we need them more than ever now.

“I would urge the Joint Committee and the Government to seriously take this into consideration.”

And this was echoed by Colne Valley Tory MP Jason McCartney today at Prime Minister’s Questions.

He said once all the vulnerable, elderly, and health and social care workers had received the vaccine, the PM should “look at prioritising vaccinating police officers, emergency service workers, carers, teachers, nursery staff, and all those whose essential daily work brings them into contact with other people”.

Boris Johnson replied: “We must rely on what the JCVI has to say, the priorities that the experts have decided, but of course we want to see those groups that he mentions vaccinated as soon as possible”.