Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services – in the Senedd at 2:12 pm on 20 January 2021.
Well, the gap between the supply of vaccines and the capacity to deploy those vaccinations in Wales is causing particular concern when it comes to police officers. Responding to you last week, I referred to calls by the North Wales Police Federation for policing to be considered for some—not full, but some—priority on the COVID-19 vaccination programme. Many current and former North Wales Police officers have written to me since stating that, 'Every single day, police officers and staff run the risk of coming into contact with a person with COVID, contracting it themselves and then bringing the killer virus back into their own homes', and asking for the Welsh Government to commit to giving policing some priority. And on Monday, the North Wales Police Federation told me they were contacted last weekend by, quote, 'Very reliable sources working within the vaccination centres', who advised that hospital secretaries and even social workers working from home are receiving the vaccine, yet front-line policing is still not considered to be a risk, or even being allowed to use up any spare or unused vaccines. How do you therefore respond to their specific statement that even getting front-line police officers on a stand-by list, like is happening in some parts of England, might be a start?