Covid in Wales: No compulsory jabs plans for NHS staff

More than 95% of health care workers in Wales have had both doses, ministers say

There is "no need" for compulsory Covid jabs for health or social care staff in Wales, Welsh ministers have said.

The UK government has confirmed it will require frontline health staff in England to be fully vaccinated.

Care home workers in England have until Thursday to get double jabbed.

But the Welsh government said on Tuesday that vaccination rates are high in both groups in Wales and "we do not see the need for compulsory measures".

England's Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said a deadline of 1 April is expected to be set for NHS staff there to get two doses.

The Welsh Health Minister, Eluned Morgan, accused the prime minister of "hypocrisy" for insisting England's NHS staff be double vaccinated while entering a hospital on Monday "without even a face mask on".

The UK government's decision on health staff in England followed a consultation which began in September and considered whether both the Covid and flu jabs should be compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers.

Mr Javid told the Commons that the flu vaccine will not be made mandatory in England.

There will also be exemptions for the Covid vaccine requirement for medical reasons.

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A Welsh government spokesperson said take up of the coronavirus vaccine in Wales has been high among both health and social care staff and that "while Covid vaccination rates are at such high levels in these groups, we do not see the need for compulsory measures".

Speaking at a news conference later, Ms Morgan said: "We know that in Wales 95% of our health care workers have taken the opportunity to have both the doses of the vaccine so we think that those levels are very high, we're content with those levels.

"We are still in the business of trying to persuade those final 5%, but there will obviously be amongst them some people who have medical reasons why they can't have those two doses."

Boris Johnson visiting Hexham General Hospital in Northumberland, on Monday

The Welsh health minister went on to launch a fierce attack on Boris Johnson's government, after the prime minister was seen with his face uncovered during a visit to Hexham General Hospital in Northumberland on Monday.

"What I find shocking is that you have a situation where you have the UK government insisting on people in the NHS being double vaccinated, and yet the prime minister of the United Kingdom can walk into a hospital without even a face mask on," Ms Morgan said.

"I do think that this underlines the degree of hypocrisy that's going on amongst the Conservative government."

Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, speaking on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, defended Mr Johnson.

"I know the prime minister took the advice on the clinical setting he was in and followed all the protocols and procedures that were applied there, and that's what everyone should do," he said.

NHS figures show vaccination rates vary widely in England's health service: among hospitals, Dorset County hospital has the highest at 94.6%, while the trust running Bedford Hospital and Luton and Dunstable University Hospital has the lowest rate of fully vaccinated staff, at 79.7%.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have not made any proposals to make Covid jabs compulsory for NHS workers or care home staff.