Hundreds gather in Blackburn to march against Covid vaccine mandates for NHS staff

The crowd, which consisted of NHS staff, from nurses to care workers and doctors, gathered outside the town hall at 1pm in solidarity against the mandate, which could see unvaccinated NHS staff losing their jobs come April 1.

In plans to make Covid-19 vaccines compulsory for NHS workers, anyone who has not received both doses of the Covid vaccine by April 1 is at risk of being sacked, just like care workers before them.

Last month the House of Commons approved plans that anyone working in health or wider social care activities that are regulated by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 if their roles involve direct contact with patients, unless of course they are medically exempt.

This includes NHS hospitals, it includes the independent sector, GP and dental practices regardless of whether they are working in the public or private sectors.

The protest on Saturday saw several speakers take to the steps in front of the town hall, before the congregation moved off in a peaceful march around Blackburn town centre.

NHS workers Sarah Parr, Andrea Neville and Nancy Berry, who have around 40 years of combined NHS experience under their belts, were in attendance - with two of the three ladies unvaccinated, both at risk of losing their jobs.

Nancy Berry, who had taken the vaccine, said despite her decision, she still felt it was wrong to force vaccination upon NHS workers.

She said: "I don't believe anyone should have to have a jab and be told if you don't have it you lose your job.

"We are hoping that some how the mandate is going to be stopped. The NHS is already on its knees.

"There's around 1,200 staff from East Lancashire Hospitals Trust that could risk losing their jobs over this, and there's so many NHS staff who are jabbed off sick with Covid at the moment.

"So if you can still catch Covid when you're jabbed and still pass it on, why are those without the jab being penalised?"

Sarah Parr said: "There's talk about bringing the NHS into disrepute over this, but we all love the NHS, we have worked for the NHS for years and don't want to lose our jobs."

Many gathered for the march on Saturday were of the same opinion, with others making the point that for the last two years, NHS workers have been able to continue in their roles without being jabbed, therefore what difference would the date of April 1 make?

One person said: "It's about freedom of choice, and respecting that freedom of choice.

"We are not anti-vaxxers, we just believe that we should be given the choice and not forced into mandatory vaccination.

"There are plenty of people here today who are vaccinated, yet they stand with us as they don't believe in the mandate.

"Around 100,000 staff could lose their jobs over this. It's utterly wrong."

Last week Conservative MPs called on Boris Johnson to rethink plans for the Covid-19 vaccine to be compulsory for NHS workers.

Danny Kruger, Sir Desmond Swayne, and former ministers Esther McVey, Mark Harper and Andrew Murrison called in the Commons for the policy to be reviewed.

The Prime Minister said the plan is supported by the NHS, has increased vaccine uptake amongst NHS staff, and that healthcare workers have a “professional responsibility” to get the jab.

But Mr Johnson also said: “We will reflect on the way ahead. We don’t want to drive people out of the service.”

Frontline staff must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with two jabs by April 1 – meaning they must have had their first vaccine by February 3.

Healthcare employers have been told that from the following day – February 4 – unvaccinated staff should be invited to a meeting and told that a potential outcome may be dismissal.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Harper, MP for Forest of Dean, said: “We know now that the Secretary of State is being advised by his own officials – due to the lack of protection against transmission – that this needs to be rethought.

“Can I urge the Prime Minister to rethink this policy? We shouldn’t reward our NHS staff for all their dedication with the sack.”

Former minister Esther McVey added: “Over the last two years, these people have worked tirelessly on the front line and we have clapped these key workers. Can the Prime Minister now make sure he doesn’t sack them? It is utterly unjustifiable.”

Mr Johnson said: “The arguments have been made well made by colleagues across the House today. But it is a very difficult point when it comes to patients who have contracted fatal Covid in hospital.

“I have to think also of those who will be at the bedside of elderly and vulnerable people who are dying of nosocomial-acquired Covid, and their feelings about our failures to get vaccination rates up high enough within the NHS."