UK: Up To 40% Of Care Workers May Not Want To Get COVID-19 Vaccine
December 14th, 2020Via: Metro:
Nearly half of care home staff may choose not to have the coronavirus vaccine, amid calls for it to be made compulsory among healthcare workers.
Nadra Ahmed, chairwoman of the National Care Association, said as many as 40% may opt against taking the jab as rollout continues across the UK.
The owner of one care home said if half the workforce refused the vaccine, they would have to inform not only family members but the local authority, as it remains unclear who would be liable in the event someone were to fall ill.
There could be grounds to make the inoculation mandatory for such workers, according to an employment lawyer.
Ms Ahmed said research indicates more than half of care staff were ‘very keen’ to be inoculated, but others were adamant they would not have it, and some were undecided with their uncertainty potentially motivated by ‘fear’.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘We know that between 50 and 60%, depending on individual services, of the staff are actually saying they will definitely have the vaccine and are very keen.
‘We understand between about 17-20% of staff in services are saying they definitely won’t have it, and then you have the rest who are waiting to see.
‘So we are looking at potentially 40% who decide not to have it.’
