Leftover Covid jabs only given to officers as last resort, police chief says
Leftover Covid vaccines will only be given to police officers if they work on the front line and any other avenues to use the doses have been exhausted, a police chief has said.
It follows reports that leftover doses have been given to police officers and other emergency service workers in Shropshire, with officers seen attending a Bridgnorth medical practice, Telford International Centre and other GP surgeries.
Those most at risk are being vaccinated first in line with guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
This week, the vaccination programme was rolled out to invite over 60s for the jab, with over 50s to follow in the first phase of the programme.
Healthcare workers have also been able to get the vaccine, but it isn't yet more widely available to frontline police officers.
David Evans, accountable officer for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Groups, said if any vaccine is leftover it makes sense to offer it to someone so that doses are not wasted.
He said: "We would want to try and vaccinate somebody.
"Normally you would look at who is working in the vaccination centre at that point, or indeed staff at a GP surgery.
"But there are instances where we would be looking to call people in at short notice, rather than waste vaccine."
Angie Wallace, programme director for the Covid vaccination service for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, said vaccination services are under strict instructions to keep the number of wasted doses to an absolute minimum.
She said: “This is primarily done through operating a reserve list of eligible people – including health and social care workers, and also members of the public in the JCVI priority groups currently being vaccinated – who can be called at short notice to receive a dose where otherwise it might be wasted.”
Chief Inspector Jess Loxley-Clark, who is leading on West Mercia Police’s response to Covid, said: “Within West Mercia Police we have an agreed process in place in line with national guidance with regard to excess vaccines.
"After all avenues have been exhausted by the vaccination centres, excess vaccinations if appropriate are offered to frontline staff through the agreed process."
Teachers and police officers are among those who have campaigned to be prioritised in the next phase of the vaccination programme – but they will now be vaccinated in line with their age group.
The JCVI, which has looked at evidence on best how to reduce serious illness and death from Covid-19 in phase two of the UK's vaccination programme, says prioritising certain jobs could leave some vulnerable people waiting longer for a first dose.
But last month, all 43 branches of the Police Federation of England and Wales called for frontline police officers to be prioritised for the Covid-19 vaccine.
They published an open letter to the government in Westminster and the Welsh Parliament.
It said that "police officers feel betrayed by the lack of action from the Governments of England and Wales to protect them from exposure to this deadly virus".
Among those who signed was Sarah Cooper, chair of West Mercia Police Federation.
