The government is considering making coronavirus vaccines compulsory for NHS staff, vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has said.
Mr Zahawi told the BBC’s Andrew Marr that any “responsible government” would “debate” the possibility, pointing out that there is precedent for such a move as surgeons are required to receive hepatitis B shots.
But Labour have hit back at the suggestion, with shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire telling Sky News that it’s more important to work with NHS staff “than against them”.
Meanwhile, a Covid-19 modelling expert has warned that new vaccine-evading variants could emerge if case rates are allowed to rise to the levels they did in January or March.
Dr Mike Tildesley told LBC that high volumes of transmission “increases the risk” of a “variant emerging that all of a sudden evades the vaccines”, but stressed that a “small rise” in cases is not something to be too concerned about.
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