Regulations making COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and social care will be revoked on Tuesday 15 March, the Health and Social Care Secretary has confirmed.
Following a public consultation, where 90% of responses supported the removal of the legal requirement for health and social care staff to be double jabbed, the Government is revoking the regulations. When the original decision was taken to introduce COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment, Delta was the dominant variant. This has since been replaced by Omicron which is less severe, with the percentage of those requiring emergency care or hospital admission approximately half that of the Delta variant.
While the vast majority of NHS, social care and other healthcare staff have been double jabbed, the Government is clear those working in health and social care who remain unvaccinated still have a professional responsibility to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and 'Get Boosted Now'.
The Government is continuing to work closely with royal colleges and professional regulators to strengthen guidance and consult on updating the code of practice on the prevention and control of infections in relation to COVID-19 requirements for CQC-registered providers of health and social care in England.
