Chester faces pitch battle over border
many years. I would be happier if we got the vast majority of healthcare workers to accept a vaccine. The mandate timing is awful and we have up to 10,000 nurses who may leave.”
Justin Waring, professor of medical sociology and healthcare organisation at Birmingham University, said: “Nearly all of the staff have had the vaccine anyway so we’re only dealing with the margins.”
Orthopaedic surgeon Ahmed Malik, 46, was ill for eight weeks after his first jab and fears serious health consequences if he
has another. He said: “Threatening people with the loss of their livelihood and career is not informed consent. It is coercion.
“This is the sort of thing you would expect in a dictatorship, not a democracy. Next it could be children or teachers.”
Francesca Bingley, 38, a nurse from the New Forest, who now works privately, said she resented the vaccine mandate’s “authoritarian voice”. She added, “You are talking to a group of caring and compassionate people who have the ability to read scientific journals and do their own research.
“We know vaccines do not stop transmission – this has been shown in new data – so this decision to mandate them is outdated.”
Anthony Brookes, a professor of genetics and health data science at the University of Leicester, said: “One cannot put a single number on how well vaccines protect against infection.
“It depends on a person’s age and health status, the type of vaccine, how long ago and how many times they were vaccinated, and which Covid variants are circulating.”
A Government spokeswoman said: “Health and social care workers are responsible for looking after some of the most vulnerable people in society, many of whom are more likely to suffer serious health consequences if exposed to the virus.
“This is about patient safety and ensuring that people in hospital or care have as much protection as possible.”
The jab uptake for NHS staff shows that 94.3 per cent have had at least one shot and 91.5 per cent two doses.
IT’S ALL kicking off in Chester where the English football club faces claims that it brokewelsh Covid rules.
Chester FC, whose pitch is in Wales but ground entrance is in England, fears going bust if it plays behind closed doors.
Games with Fylde andtelford on December 28 and
January 2 were attended by around 2,000 fans. But rules which came in on Boxing day state sporting events inwales must be played in empty grounds. Chester chairman Andy Morris said: “The entrance to the stadium site is in England.the stadium is registered in England. It’s actually owned by Cheshire West and Cheshire Council.
“I’m not really sure as to why it’s become an issue. It hasn’t been for the past two years whilst we wrestled through Covid.
“We haven’t had access to any Welsh government support. We rely on match day incomes. If we are forced to play behind closed doors, that could mean the end of the football club.”
A Welsh government spokesman said: “Chester’s stadium is in Wales, therefore Welsh regulations apply.”