Proposed ‘jabs at work’ scheme could see millions of under-50s receive Covid vaccine by spring

Proposed ‘jabs at work’ scheme could see millions of under-50s receive Covid vaccine by spring (Photo: Shutterstock)Proposed ‘jabs at work’ scheme could see millions of under-50s receive Covid vaccine by spring (Photo: Shutterstock)
Proposed ‘jabs at work’ scheme could see millions of under-50s receive Covid vaccine by spring (Photo: Shutterstock)

Millions of people could receive a Covid vaccine at work, under new plans which could begin once the most vulnerable groups have all been inoculated.

People under 50 could get the vaccine as part of a so-called ‘jabs at work’ scheme which is being discussed by government ministers, according to the Sunday Telegraph.

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The first phase of the vaccination programme is on course to have the most vulnerable groups in society fully vaccinated by the spring, with a first dose to have been administered to the first four priority groups by the middle of this month.

But ministers have said that a plan to begin sending vaccination teams into workplaces to speed up the rollout among under-50s is being considered

Who would be able to get the jab at work?

While no decision has yet been taken, it is understood that the plans would see essential workers and those who can’t work from home prioritised for workplace vaccinations.

This would include emergency services workers, staff in homeless shelters, teachers, delivery drivers and supermarket workers. It’s also thought that police officers, prisons staff and jurors could be among the first groups to be targeted for at-work vaccines

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The plans would involve mobile vaccination teams travelling to workplaces to administer and also check vaccinations. This would be similar to how some employers offer staff the annual flu vaccine at their workplaces.

Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “We want to reopen schools, reopen our economy, get our lives back, but never have to go back into another severe lockdown like the one we’re all experiencing and suffering from at the moment.

“You’ve got to make sure that your vaccination programme has protected the top nine categories in phase one - that is 99 per cent of mortality.”

How many people have been vaccinated?

More than 10 million people have received a first dose of a Covid vaccine as of Saturday 6 February, which peaked at more than 1,000 jabs per minute in an hour on Saturday morning.

The second dose is scheduled to be rolled out from the beginning of March.

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