Video: England Will Require Frontline Health Workers to Get Vaccinated

I have concluded that all those working in the N.H.S. and social care will have to be vaccinated. We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the N.H.S., protect colleagues in the N.H.S. and of course, protect the N.H.S. itself. There will be two key exemptions: one for those who don’t have face-to-face contact with patients, and the second for those that are medically exempt. This decision doesn’t mean that I don’t recognize concerns about workforce pressures this winter, and indeed, beyond. As a result of some people perhaps choosing to leave their job because of the decision that we’ve taken, of course, I recognize that. It’s with this in mind that we’ve chosen for the condition not to come into force until 12 weeks after parliamentary approval, allowing time for remaining colleagues to make the positive choice to protect themselves and those around them, and time for workforce planning. Subject to parliamentary approval, we intend the enforcement of this condition to start on the 1st of April.