4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:59 pm on 12 January 2021.

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Photo of Mark Isherwood Mark Isherwood Conservative 3:59, 12 January 2021

Diolch. Thank you very much for calling me. Further to my question to the Trefnydd earlier, when she suggested I raise these with you now, firstly, given your particular reference to the police, how would you respond to the call by the North Wales Police Federation for policing to be considered for some priority on the COVID-19 vaccination programme. As their secretary said to me in writing yesterday, 'Day in, day out, police officers put their own safety, health and well-being at risk whilst protecting us all. Sadly, in north Wales we've seen many colleagues who have been unwell with COVID-19, some requiring hospital treatment, and many more having to self-isolate.'

And finally, how do you respond to the constituent who wrote to me, calling for autistic adults to be given some priority for the COVID vaccine also, whose brother lives in north Wales, has a learning disability and autism? She referred to the recent research by Public Health England, which found the death rate from COVID is six times higher for people with a learning disability than the general population.