Leicestershire  Police Federation

Covid-19 Vaccine snub: “This is a despicable decision and not one that any of us will forget”

26 February 2021

 

Covid-19 Vaccine snub: “This is a despicable decision and not one that any of us will forget”

 

Covid-19 Vaccine snub: “This is a despicable decision and not one that any of us will forget”

Adam Commons, Chairman of Leicestershire Police Federation: “I am angry and upset with this decision and my colleagues deserve so much better after the work they have done in the last year.

“The Government have not exactly covered themselves in glory throughout the entire Covid pandemic.

“They claim that stopping the spread of the virus is key to getting the Country back to normal, and yet again they choose to ignore the need of my hard working colleagues to receive a vaccination.

“I will keep saying this – we cannot police at a 2 metre distance. By ignoring the Nations protectors yet again they put our brave officers at risk of contracting the virus and in turn passing it on to their loved ones.

This is a despicable decision and not one that any of us will forget. The party of Law and Order appears to be the party of Chaos and Confusion.”

National Chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, John Apter, said: “This announcement shows a complete lack of understanding about policing this pandemic and is an utter betrayal of police officers. My colleagues have been on the frontline since the first national lockdown last March, risking infection and even death to keep the public safe.

“Together with others across policing, we have never said police officers should jump the queue but should be prioritised. It’s right that the most vulnerable and health and care workers were vaccinated; but what about police officers who cannot mitigate against the risks of contracting and spreading this deadly virus? Yet the calls to prioritise policing have been ignored.

“The very nature of policing is unpredictable and means my colleagues often cannot socially distance. They are going into people’s homes, going into hospitals, and having to get up close and personal when helping people or making an arrest.

“Many officers are reporting sick or self-isolating and our numbers are falling, sometimes dangerously low. We have also lost a number of colleagues to this virus too. Yet the Government continue to hide behind the science of the JCVI. What about a moral duty to my colleagues and their families?

“Giving police officers the vaccine would not only protect them and their families but also help prevent the spread of this virus.

“We are sick of warm words and no action by our political leaders who have demanded so much from policing during this pandemic. We will now explore every possible avenue open to us to protect our members from this deadly virus and this complacent government.”