The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released new data showing vaccination rates by profession at the end of last year. The figures show that doctors are the health workers who are least likely to be jabbed against covid-19.
According to The Times:
“Medical practitioners”, a category covering doctors of any seniority, had an unvaccinated rate of 8 per cent. For nursing auxiliaries and assistants the rate was 7 per cent, among midwives the rate was 6 per cent and for nurses it was 5 per cent.
Among care workers and home carers, 10 per cent were unvaccinated.
Dr Alex de Figueiredo of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said it was possible doctors had a lower rate of vaccination because many had been infected through work and were happy with natural immunity.
He said the “small amount of extra protection” offered by vaccination also came with risks, adding: “We absolutely need to consider natural immunity — even more so with Omicron, which poses such a small threat to us.”
The lowest vaccination rate overall, adjusted for age, was seen in “health associate professionals”, including acupuncturists, homeopaths and reflexologists, with 19 per cent un-jabbed.
Health and care workers who have not had a jab must have their first dose by February 3rd in order to meet the April mandate deadline. NHS bosses have been told to begin dismissal proceedings against unvaccinated staff, including those who refuse to disclose their vaccine status, from February 4.
