Unlike last winter, the government’s latest covid booster programme, which began last month, excludes non-frontline healthcare staff. The move was criticised by senior Leeds councillor Fiona Venner on Tuesday, who raised concerns about the impact on the health service. She confirmed that the local authorities had decided to fund vaccines for all healthcare staff in the city.
“With previous vaccination programmes we’ve vaccinated all healthcare staff, including people like admin staff and managers, and that’s felt really important. It’s our view that all health and care staff should be vaccinated.” In May, the independent body which advises the government on vaccines said health and social care workers “are no longer at much greater risk of severe covid-19, compared to the rest of the population”.