Call to prioritise firefighters for covid vaccines
Firefighters and police should be prioritised for coronavirus vaccines, according to one of the North East’s top policing bosses.
The Government’s rollout is focusing on the over 50, health and social care workers and those with serious underlying health conditions.
But demands are growing for all workers on the pandemic’s front line to be offered the treatment as soon as possible, both to slow transmission and protect the wider public.
“We need to look at which key workers are putting themselves out there in the line of danger for this virus, whose families are coming into contact with it,” said Kim McGuinness, the Police and
Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Northumbria.
“We need to consider the service continuity and the fact that community safety isn’t just about protecting against this virus.
“Firefighters are putting themselves on the front line, either just in the course of doing their job, or by taking part in the vaccination programme or the test track and trace programme [and] are absolutely frontline members of the community dealing with this virus.
“I think they should be considered among other key workers for priority vaccinations and I’m disappointed that hasn’t happened yet.”
McGuinness was speaking at a meeting of the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Authority, which was held by videolink and broadcast via YouTube.
The first phase of the government’s vaccine roll out plan covers everyone aged over 50, their carers, health and social care workers and anyone else with an underlying health condition aged over 16.