ESSEX Police Officers need to be nearer the front of the queue for COVID vaccinations because they have \u2018no choice\u2019 in having to deal with the public face to face.<\/p>\n
Essex Police Federation says NHS staff, the elderly and the vulnerable have rightly been prioritised but wants to see officers\u2019 jabs higher up on the list.<\/p>\n
Home Secretary Priti Patel told policing to \u2018be ready\u2019 to get their vaccination, but no news as to when that might happen has been released by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).<\/p>\n
Vaccination Minister Nadhim Zahawi recently said no official discussions or decisions had been made about when police officers and teachers might get jabbed but that the \u2018critical role of the professions\u2019 would be talked about by the committee.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a conversation that needs to happen sooner rather than later, Essex Police Federation Chair Laura Heggie said, given members\u2019 crucial front-line role.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s certainly been my view, and I know it\u2019s the same with the Chief that we should be moved up the priority list,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not ahead of any of the other priority groups; the clinically vulnerable, the elderly and NHS should always come before us.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I do think we\u2019re up there with teachers, and other key workers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re seeing the effect that it\u2019s having in relation to schooling and the extra pressure it\u2019s also putting on members, where they\u2019re having to stay at home, doing home-schooling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have no choice on occasions going hands on in order to effect an arrest, prevent a crime and to protect the public, we have to be around people in the job.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere isn\u2019t the option to stand back and maintain that distance because policing doesn\u2019t allow for it. And officers are having to put themselves at risk in order to just do their day-to-day duties, and that should be recognised,\u201d Laura added.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe sooner we can find a new normal, then people can start getting on with their lives a little bit better.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"