Thread by @Dr_D_Robertson

The Home Secretary has suggested that police should get higher priority in vaccinations.

https://twitter.com/AndrewSparrow/status/1351828224448327693

There is an article in the @guardian where this is clarified

JCVI has set out their recommendations here

The basis for these groups is to reduce *motality* (people dying from Covid)
gov.uk/government/pub…

However, JCVI only makes *recommendations* to the Health Secretary.

But, in practice, the Health Secretary implements what the JCVI recommends.

This is the law that sets this out

"The Secretary of State must make arrangements to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the recommendation of the JCVI is implemented."

legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/38/r…

It is not clear to me whether an occupational health vaccination programme *in addition* to the national programme could be made. There then becomes an issue as to which occupations and which groups within those occupations this applies to.

By prioritizing occupations above priority groups set out by the JCVI will mean that, as supply is severely constrained, there is a risk of deaths increasing as vaccines are diverted away from those most vulnerable to death from catching Covid.

This would be a political choice.

The Home Secretary has confirmed today that occupational vaccination would be as part of *Phase 2* of the vaccine roll-out (i.e. after over-50s, frontline care/health staff and the clinically vulnerable).

The JCVI is expected to decised on Phase 2 prioritization in mid-February.