SOUTH Yorkshire Police Federation says it\u2019s \u2018infuriating\u2019 officers still have no idea when they might be able to join the vaccination queue.<\/p>\n
The Home Secretary recently suggested that police officers need to \u2018get ready\u2019 for the vital jabs, but as yet there\u2019s been no confirmation of what priority group officers will be placed in by\u00a0The Joint Committee on\u00a0Vaccination\u00a0and\u00a0Immunisation\u00a0(JCVI).<\/p>\n
Federation Chair Steve Kent says nobody is suggesting officers should jump the queue but that given they are frontline workers and having to deal with the public every day, it\u2019s a \u2018no brainer\u2019 that they should get the injection as soon as possible.<\/p>\n
Colleagues and members are starting to ask just when they will get the jab they need so they can do their jobs safely.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s borderline infuriating because recently the sounds were coming out in the right direction, but we shouldn\u2019t be at this stage, they should have already been rolled out for police officers,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe NHS rightly have got the NHS vaccine as have care workers, but it grates on officers when we are going into people\u2019s houses on a day to day basis and putting ourselves at risk in the same way social workers are and beyond that, and yet we\u2019re still not officially in receipt of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m getting contacted numerous times a day by officers who are concerned so I will continue to bang that drum as much as I possibly can.\u201d<\/p>\n
It\u2019s now time for a little less conversation and more action from the Government, Steve said.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, I don\u2019t have a magic wand to make the Government change its mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are seeing movement which is a positive, but we need to see firm dates and firm comments coming out, not just aspirational statements which is what we\u2019re getting at the minute.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not good enough. It\u2019s an absolute no-brainer, and it should be happening right now.\u201d<\/p>\n
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