BREAKING: NHS to Scrap COVID-19 Jab Mandate, Reports Cite Fears of ‘Crippling Staff Shortages’

COVID-19 jab mandates for NHS healthcare workers are set to be scrapped, according to UK reports.

The decision to terminate the controversial policy comes amid fears of crippling staff shortages upon the firing of unvaccinated NHS and social care workers.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is expected to meet ministers on the Covid-Operations Cabinet committee to finalize the U-Turn on Monday.

The NHS in the UK has dropped the 💉 mandate for healthcare workers.

— ZUBY: (@ZubyMusic) January 31, 2022

Britain is SCRAPPING the mandatory vaccination for NHS staff after warnings of staff shortages.

This as around 80 000 workers are unvaccinated and couldn't work with the mandate.

— PeterSweden (@PeterSweden7) January 31, 2022

BREAKING: The mandatory vax requirement will be reversed after warnings that nearly 80,000 health care workers would be forced out of their jobs.https://t.co/EqAibUFlYT

— Rebel News Canada (@RebelNews_CA) January 30, 2022

🔴Breaking: The UK is scrapping the vaccine mandate for NHS & Social Care Workers. https://t.co/9VRjs5LsKn

— Drea Humphrey – Prepping and Politics (@DreaHumphrey) January 31, 2022

Javid made the following statement on ending vaccinations in health and social care settings.

https://twitter.com/TheJuggernaut88/status/1488245698051346434

The Daily Mail reported:

Health Secretary Sajid Javid is on Monday expected to meet ministers on the Covid-Operations Cabinet committee to finalise the U-Turn, reported the Telegraph.

The mandatory jab requirement was meant to come into force on April 1, meaning this Thursday would have been the last day staff could book in for a jab. On Friday those without jabs would have faced dismissal warnings and been asked to work out their notice periods until March 31.

But now, ministers are set to scrap the plan amid fears it could force the NHS to sack around 80,000 staff who remain unvaccinated. One in 20 NHS staff – the equivalent of 77,591 people – have still not had their first jab. In London, one in ten staff are unvaccinated.

The Royal College of GPs, the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Midwives had previously called on the Government to extend the deadline to prevent mass shortages in the health service.

Martin Marshall, Chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said compulsory vaccination for health professionals was ‘not the right way forward’.

Nottingham Post added:

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Earlier this week, Dr Joan Myers – a Queen’s Nurse and member of the Nursing Times editorial advisory board – described the law as ‘Draconian’ in a letter to Mr Javid.

Dr Myers aired concerns about “forcibly” dismissing staff who refused the vaccine in the letter, reports the Nursing Times.

She also raised concerns to the Nursing Times about the “disproportionate” impact of the vaccination rule on colleagues from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Unions and nursing leaders have also called for rule to be delayed due of major concerns over the impact it will have on the workforce.

By the end of 2021, there were already some 40,000 unfilled in NHS England alone.

Several weeks ago, an unvaccinated NHS healthcare worker from King’s College Hospital in south London confronted Sajid Javid about the draconian policy.