Frontliners deserve to be put first

We accept that the UK is doing better than many countries in rolling out the Covid vaccine. But better does not mean good enough. It is a tribute to hard-working NHS staff that more than 3.5 million jabs have already been given and that 45% of over-80s are now protected.

It will bring the elderly much-needed peace of mind. Some have even had their second dose. But we must also recognise that while over-80s are most likely to die from the virus, they are less likely to get it than frontline NHS workers.

These are the people who are giving out jabs now, working night and day to save lives on overflowing hospital wards, fighting exhaustion on ambulances and keeping GP surgeries running against overwhelming odds.

These are the people in greatest danger from being exposed to high viral loads.

And these are the people in need of the second booster jab to keep them safe.

Yet they have to wait three months for it like everyone else, even though maker Pfizer says it should be administered within 21 days. No wonder they feel like guinea pigs in an experiment to make vaccine supplies go further.

As ministers keep telling us how well the rollout is going, there is no excuse to delay the second dose so that health workers have the best protection current medical science can offer.

And once Boris Johnson has met that target, he can set himself another – to vaccinate the nation’s 500,000 teachers before all pupils return to school. The same goes for police and firefighters. They all hold the front line.

And keep it far enough away to stop death reaching our doorsteps.