A carer who refused the coronavirus vaccine has lost her job because of Sajid Javid's "no jab no job" policy.
Suzanne Cooper had been a carer for more than 30 years but felt she needed to take a stand and walk away from the job she loved due to the rule being brought in on Thursday.
The 52-year-old, who worked in a 28-bed care home in Ilfracombe, said she isn’t an anti-vaxxer and has had many inoculations over the years, but felt there wasn’t enough evidence yet, despite rigorous safety checks.
All Covid-19 vaccines approved for use in the UK have had to meet strict standards set out by the independent Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) meaning they must go through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through.
But the mum-of-three from Combe Martin, North Devon said: “I’ve never taken a stand against anything in my life, but I feel so strongly about it.
“I was one of the first people to have the pneumonia jab back in the early 90s but there had been eight or nine years of research before it was given to people.
“I just don’t think there has been enough testing done on the vaccine for me to have it. It doesn’t mean I’d never have it, but at the moment I’m not having it.
“I object to being told what I have to do with my body. I chose what I put in it whether it is bad for me or good for me.”
Suzanne, who lives with her disabled husband and two teenage daughters, had taken a two year break from caring feeling burnt out from the work.
But she returned during the pandemic, realising how short staffed care homes were and how much in need of experienced carers they were.
She said: “It’s a job I loved but this is a real kick in the teeth after people came out clapping for us and telling us we were all heroes for the last 18 months.
“It’s so unfair that the residents don’t have to have the vaccine and have the right to refuse.
“Their friends and family can come and go as much as they want and don’t have to be vaccinated.
“People like myself have been careful who we associate with, we shop local to reduce our contacts, but we are the ones who have to take the vaccine or lose our jobs.”
Luckily for Suzanne she has managed to secure a temporary job at her local Tesco store in the run up to Christmas and in the New Year she will take up a role as a baker when a Co-Op opens in her home town.
Asked if she’d have made the same decision if she didn’t have these jobs to fall back on she added: “I have agonised over the decision. It would have been even harder.
“My husband is disabled and he has had both vaccines. He has been amazingly supportive.
“He said whatever my decision, we would get through it.”
