Government u-turn on compulsory vaccination for health and social care staff

As you will have no doubt seen and heard in the mainstream media, the government is now set to revoke the regulations which make vaccination against covid-19 a condition of deployment for health and social care staff.  The change, announced yesterday, 31 January 2022, is subject to public consultation and parliamentary approval, with the government explaining that since the introduction of the regulations it was ‘no longer proportionate’ to require vaccination as Omicrom was now the dominant variant.

The announcement has come only three days before the last date on which workers would have needed to have their first jab to meet the 1 April 2022 deadline for being fully vaccinated. 

The change in the law will also apply to care home workers.  An estimated 19,300 care staff lost their jobs last year as a result of the requirement.

To read the government announcement click here.