Quarter of council care workers refuse vaccine

MORE than a quarter of Bristol City Council care workers have refused the coronavirus vaccine, it has been revealed.

The figures show only 74 per cent of the authority’s employees in the sector have agreed to receive a first jab against Covid-19, sparking anger that they may be endangering the lives of some of the most vulnerable residents they are in direct contact with.

The council says all care workers undertake duties using PPE, in line with national guidance, and that risks of transmission are carefully managed.

Frontline care staff were among the first to be offered protection against the disease, but Downing Street has said employers cannot force staff to be vaccinated.

Medical reasons, such as severe allergies, and certain religious beliefs, may be legitimate reasons for refusal.

However, health chiefs have serious concerns about “anti-vaxxers” spreading misinformation and dangerous conspiracy theories.

In an email to city council human resources committee members on Wednesday, head of HR, Mark Williams, said: “Employees are under no obligation to disclose to citizens whether they have had a vaccine, and we have not advised them to discuss their vaccine status with clients.

“Currently, 74 per cent of care workers have received their first vaccine dose.”

He was responding to committee members’ concerns in February about the take-up among the authority’s care staff.

Tory HR spokesman, Cllr Richard Eddy, said: “It is an absolute disgrace that over a quarter of our care workers are effectively choosing to put their clients’ lives at risk.

“Private sector care homes want a ‘no jab, no work’ policy for their staff to help protect their vulnerable residents.

“Unfortunately, far too many public sector employers – such as Bristol City Council – appear wishy-washy and seem to put their employees’ alleged human rights before the public’s right to be protected from serious ill health or death.

“I would extend a ‘no jab, no work’ policy to all relevant employers, but in the short term we ought at least to be telling our customers if their care worker has refused the Covid vaccine.

“At least that way the public has a choice whether to take the ultimate gamble.”

In the email, Mr Williams said: “All care workers continue to undertake their duties using PPE in accordance with national guidance.

“The risks of Covid transmission in care homes and households continue to be carefully managed.

“I have also received feedback that service users and their families have not been raising this with staff, either, which is also reassuring.”

Meanwhile, David Smallacombe, chief executive officer at Care & Support West, a leading representative body for companies, charities, organisations and individuals in the social care and health sectors in the West of England, told the BBC that deciding whether to be vaccinated was a “very personal matter”.

He said there were “lots of reasons” why people might be hesitant.

Mr Smallacombe said: “As an organisation, we don’t have a position that says you must have a jab in order to work in social care.

“It is possible that might become a mandatory position from central government, at which point things will change.”

Downing Street has said it would be “discriminatory” to force people to have the jab to keep their jobs.

But some companies say they will not hire new staff who refuse to be vaccinated.