The UK government is asking for your opinion on compulsory vaccination, this time conflating the established flu vaccine with the experimental COVID vaccine.
"The Government has launched a public consultation on whether it should require frontline health and social care staff to be vaccinated against both covid-19 and the flu. The requirement would apply to any health or care worker who works face-to-face with patients and people receiving social care."
The Government recently announced that people working in adult care homes will be required to have been vaccinated against covid-19, unless they are medically exempt, to protect vulnerable residents. It is now consulting on whether it should to extend this requirement to other health and care settings, including hospitals and GP practices. It is also seeking views on whether this requirement should apply to vaccination against flu, in addition to covid-19. If introduced, this would mean only workers who are vaccinated (or those with a legitimate medical exemption) could deliver frontline health and care services. The consultation is seeking views from both the public and those working in the health and social care sectors on whether such a requirement should be introduced, and how it could be implemented if so."
It can be hard to see these consultations as meaningful. However bumbling his tactical persona, PM Johnson is apparently a calculating and shrewd operator. His administration appears to follow the Blairite strategy of cherry-picking a headline to cover what they were going to do anyway, and worry about the consequences later - possibly. Whilst constant public shifting of policy, position and messaging is a defining characteristic of this government, it is unlikely to be the result of confusion or incompetence. It is already a matter of record that causing public fear and alarm was a deliberate policy choice. The constant switching of messaging is more likely to be intended to cause confusion, dismay and cognitive overload.
Hopefully, this is not true. However, there are indications that the Government does not always rely on the best quality information to justify its decisions. For example in July, a YouGOv poll reported that 71% of Britons support people being required to show proof of double vaccinations to get into nightclubs, with 57% of 18-24 year olds in favour. YouGov also reported that 71% of Britons think that face masks should continue to be mandatory in public after restrictions are lifted. Also that 71% of English adults supported delaying the lifting of lockdowns by at least four weeks. Also 71% of Britons thought that under 16s should be vaccinated against COVID-19. 71% would rather lockdowns lasted longer to reduce case numbers than open up as soon as the immediate danger to the NHS has passed. (1). This is of course entirely unconnected to YouGov's strong links to UK vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi.
Why, then, should we give much weight to give to government consultations? Obviously, politics is messy, and right now, political appearances are not going well for the Johnson regime. Being entirely contemptuous of public opinion is a strategy that will only work long term with a total control of society - things are not good, but we are not there yet. Although the government's reasoning for pausing vaccine passports is opaque - probably intentionally so - strong pressure from MPs must have played a significant part. Marcus Fysh recently became the first Tory MP to call for the resignation of Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty over the vaccination of teenagers. William Wragg bluntly contradicted Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi over ‘unnecessary’ vaccine passports, in the House of Commons. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation advised against the vaccination of 12-15 year olds. Sir Christopher Cope drew attention to serious adverse reactions to the vaccines. And so on. They are not yet immune to influence. Whilst it is impossible to know if the consultation make a difference, it is clear that many, many people do not accept the reasons given for this policy.
So, if you have opinions about compulsory vaccination of health care staff, the link is below and the consultation is open until 22 October. Let them know what you think.
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Read a summary of the proposals, and share your views:
Read the proposals in full:
(1)