Latest News - UK dumps mandatory vaxx for NHS workers

Sajid Javid set to scrap requirements after warnings that jabs policy could lead to shortage of 80.000 workers

Mandatory Covid jabs https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/25/mandatory-jabs-nhs-staff-review-dismissal-deadline-approaches/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - for NHS and social care workers are set to be scrapped, The Telegraph can reveal, after warnings of crippling staff shortages if the plan went ahead.

Sajid Javid, the Health Secretary, will on Monday meet fellow ministers on the Covid-Operations Cabinet committee to rubber stamp the decision on the about-turn.

Multiple government sources said ministers are expected to end the requirement because the omicron Covid variant, now dominant in the UK, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/omicron-symptoms-sore-throat-covid-variant-vaccine-coronavirus/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - is milder than previous strains .

The move comes after warnings that almost 80,000 healthcare workers https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/17/nhs-will-start-sacking-unvaccinated-staff-early-next-month/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - would be forced out of their jobs because they had declined to take two doses of a Covid vaccine.

The Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of GPs have all pushed for the requirement to be delayed, with warnings it would have https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/11/09/mandatory-coronavirus-vaccines-could-cause-mass-exodus-healthcare/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - a "catastrophic" impact .

The jab requirement for NHS workers was meant to https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/23/several-thousand-nhs-staff-still-set-lose-jobs-even-vaccine/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - come into force in April – making this Thursday, Feb 3, the last day on which staff could get their first jab in order to be fully vaccinated in time.

The legal requirement for care home staff to be fully vaccinated https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/11/08/care-home-bosses-call-government-delay-mandatory-staff-vaccines/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - came into effect in November . An estimated 40,000 people lost their jobs over the policy. Under the new rules, they are expected to be able to return to work in the sector.

On Sunday night, care home representatives expressed fury at the handling of the issue, saying the flip-flopping had "devastated our workforce and brought providers to their knees".

The change of approach reflects Downing Street's increasing focus on how the UK must "learn to live with Covid" as https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/surge-omicron-variant-caught-nhs-guard/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - the surge of omicron cases fades.

Stripping back restrictions and policy interventions adopted earlier in the pandemic will be welcomed by a group of lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs frustrated by Boris Johnson's approach.

Ahead of Monday's key meeting to sign off the policy change, a senior government source familiar with discussions outlined the argument for ending the requirement.

"Omicron has changed things. When we first introduced the policy, it was delta that was https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/delta-variant-symptoms-signs-different-do-vaccines-protect/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - the dominant variant . That was very high risk in terms of how severe it was," the source said.

"For omicron, while it is more transmissible, all the studies have shown it is less severe. That has changed the conversation about whether mandatory jabs are still proportionate."

At a recent parliamentary committee appearance, Mr Javid signalled that he was open to a change in approach, saying the mandatory jabs policy https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/25/mandatory-jabs-nhs-staff-review-dismissal-deadline-approaches/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - was being kept "under review" .

Changing the law to force scores of workers to get Covid jabs sparked controversy when The Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/03/22/care-home-staff-face-compulsory-covid-vaccination/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - revealed the plans last March . A legal expert at the time said that the only comparable UK laws dated from the 1800s, when newborns had to be given smallpox jabs.

Matt Hancock, then the health secretary, had championed the change, and Mr Johnson agreed. But Mr Javid has been more cautious about Covid interventions.

It is unclear when the policy change, once signed off, will be announced. It is expected to be made public before the Feb 3 cut-off for unvaccinated NHS workers to get jabbed.

NHS guidance to employers said all front line staff who had not been vaccinated should start being called into formal meetings from Feb 4 and https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/01/17/nhs-will-start-sacking-unvaccinated-staff-early-next-month/" style="background-repeat: no-repeat; box-sizing: inherit; background-color: transparent; touch-action: manipulation; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(4, 119, 123); text-decoration-color: rgb(4, 119, 123); - warned that they faced dismissal .

Last week, the Health Secretary said around 77,000 NHS workers remain unvaccinated against the virus. Ministers are expected to point to the fact that tens of thousands of healthcare workers were vaccinated after the original policy was announced.

U-turn on mandatory Covid vaccinations for NHS and social care workers