Police Federation for Northern Ireland calls for officers to be fast-tracked for Covid-19 jabs

Police Federation chairman Mark Lindsay

David Young

January 24 2021 08:00 PM

The Government should move PSNI officers up the priority list for Covid-19 vaccinations, according to the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI).

Writing in Monday's Belfast Telegraph, the PFNI's Mark Lindsay said he was "incredulous" that this had not already happened.

"No thought whatsoever has been given to those who put their own and their family's health on the line every day as they deal with normal and Covid policing requirements," he writes.

Mark Lindsay: Opinion Why front line police must be a priority as part of vaccine rollout

"Right now, the officers I represent are months away from receiving the vaccine. Yet they are the ones whose role it is to ensure public safety by enforcing Covid legislation and guidelines. Daily they interact with quarrelsome, violent and selfish individuals who prefer to ignore the regulations and guidance.

"This is the bleak reality of policing the pandemic."

Mr Lindsay says that vaccinating front line PSNI officers would cost just £12,000, a sum he called "loose change" for the Executive.

The Department of Health said the rollout was guided by the priority list developed by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

The first phase of the vaccine delivery is aimed at direct prevention of mortality and supporting the NHS and social care system. But in the second phase targeted vaccination of those at high risk of exposure and/or those delivering key public services could be undertaken.

Health Minister Robin Swann told the Assembly earlier this month that during the period of limited suppy "we have to prioritise", and he would be guided by the JCVI.

The PSNI said: "The vaccination programme is a national plan and we will take our place among other emergency services and key workers.

"We fully support that the first priority for the Covid-19 vaccination should be for the most vulnerable members of our community and the protection of health and social care staff."

Meanwhile, the UK Health Secretary said teachers could be on the priority list once the most clinically vulnerable have received their jabs.

"We're going through those who are clinically vulnerable... and after that there's a perfectly reasonable debate to be had about who should go in what order next," Matt Hancock said.

"Teachers have got a good shout to be very high on the list and those discussions are going on."

Police Federation for Northern Ireland calls for officers to be fast-tracked for Covid-19 jabs

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