PCC says Cheshire officers are being let down
David Keane thinks they should be made a priority for the jab
Last updated 25th Feb 2021
After the Prime Minister outlined his roadmap out of restrictions on Monday – today we're being told he's letting Cheshire police officers down and putting them more at risk.
Police chiefs in Cheshire say the government is failing to protect frontline officers by not prioritising them for the vaccine.
David Keane is Cheshire's Police and Crime Commissioner. He says to announce the roadmap and keep police waiting is unacceptable:
"They should have been right at the top of the queue with the most vulnerable people. They needed that vaccine - they needed it quick. The message to Boris on that one is the decision was totally unacceptable."
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is set to proceed with the next phase of the jab roll-out on age groups rather than job roles.
David Keane says this leaves officers unprotected and soon dealing with more people:
"To send any of our public service workers into field without relevant protection just creates such risk."
Meanwhile,
US drug firm Moderna is to start trials after producing a vaccine that works specifically against the South African variant of coronavirus.
It's looking at potentially offering new, or booster jabs, after studies found current shots offer less protection against it.
The UK has ordered 17-million doses of the firm's original vaccine, with delivery expected from the Spring.
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