As the Petition regarding Police Officers states, they “are in high risk jobs”.
Speaking here in January, I highlighted calls by the North Wales Police Federation for Policing to ‘be considered for some priority on the COVID-19 vaccination programme’.
As they stated: ‘day in, day out, police officers put their own safety, health and wellbeing at risk whilst protecting us all. Sadly, in North Wales, we have seen many colleagues who have become unwell with COVID-19, some requiring hospital treatment, and many more having to self-isolate’ … and they expressed concern” that people in non-priority groups “are receiving the vaccine ahead of frontline police officers”.
When I raised this with the Health Minister, he dodged this by instead referring to the impact on priority groups.
A subsequent email from a frontline North Wales Police Officer stated: ‘There is always a sense of shock and bewilderment when I speak to people and inform them that Police are not considered a priority group for the vaccine’…. ‘I ask that the Welsh Government commit to giving policing some priority’, where ‘We need to protect the protectors who ultimately protect us all’.”
And North Wales Police Federation told me they had been contacted by ‘very reliable sources working within the vaccination centres who advise that hospital secretaries and even social workers – who are working from home – are receiving the vaccine yet frontline policing is still not considered to be a risk nor even being allowed to use up any unused vaccines’, adding ‘Even if we could get frontline police officers on a standby list, like is happening in some parts of England’.
Speaking here in February, I asked the First Minister why this wasn’t happening in Wales.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board stated In February ‘no vaccines will go to waste as we are using a standby list created in accordance with the national priority groups’.
As I said here, when we hear of the numerous examples of people not in the priority groups receiving left over vaccines, surely any standby list should prioritise people like frontline Police Officers and Teachers?
Given that people not in priority groups were receiving the vaccine, why wouldn’t the Welsh Government admit it and instead prioritise on standby lists those whose employment means that they run the risk of coming into contact with people infected with COVID, when vaccines would otherwise go to waste?”
Last week Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board stated that they had now “finalised an agreed standby list of staff who will be called upon if any vaccines become available at the end of the day”, including “North Wales Police staff following national advice and guidance”.
As North Wales Police Federation then told me “It is still far from perfect but we are getting there… slowly!”