Anger that jail inmates to get jab before police
OFFICERS’ REP CALLS ON PM TO ‘MAKE IT RIGHT’
POLICE have reacted with fury to a decision to vaccinate prison inmates against coronavirus before them and other key frontline workers.
The Police Federation fears the move will result in a “perverse” scenario of criminals jailed for coughing or spitting at officers and claiming to be carrying Covid-19 being treated before their victims.
The priority was determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Adam Commons, chairman of Leicestershire Police Federation, said: “This news is a new low.
“I always knew that it would be a battle to get my colleagues placed in the vaccination roll-out plan, but a month ago I’d have probably said we were making progress.
“The right people seemed to be listening – the vaccine minister, the Home Secretary. But in the last couple of weeks the narrative has shifted.
“First, we had the health minister casually drop the line on live television that we would have to wait until yet another phase.
“But we now see a perverse situation arising where we could have someone sent to prison for assaulting a police officer and yet while they’re serving their sentence, they are likely to receive a vaccination jab.
“Can anyone really explain how this works?
“My colleagues have been out there from day one, vilified by the media for handing out fines to support the government’s lockdown’s and tier systems, sitting in hospitals filled with Covid patients while they look after people under arrest and keeping NHS staff safe.
“I could write pages about everything they have been doing. Through it all they’ve had the stress of picking up the virus and taking it home to their families – and it has happened.
“To the Prime Minister, I say this – we don’t forget. Please don’t bother standing at a lectern telling the world how much you love us, because it’s just meaningless words.
“You can still make this right. Protect the police who have protected the country.”
Chief Constable Simon Cole and police and crime commissioner Lord (Willy) Bach have echoed the police federation’s concerns.
The JCVI has said vaccinating people in order of age is the fastest way to cut Covid-19 deaths and giving people priority based on their jobs could slow down the whole programme.