‘Frontline workers should be first’: Locals slam GPs’ decision to let rough sleepers jump queue for Covid jabs – as charities say vaccine idea must spread across UK
- Oldham Council and GPs said homeless people should be made a priority group
- Clinic organised at homeless shelter in Oldham, with around 30 people given jab
- Dr Zahid Chauhan said the group should be prioritised as they are more at risk
- Locals complained key workers should be protected from coronavirus first
Locals have slammed GPs’ decision to prioritise rough sleepers for the coronavirus vaccine – as a charity said the idea must spread across the UK.
Oldham Council and local GPs decided the town’s homeless people should be made a priority group to get the vaccine at the start of the rollout, alongside those over 80.
But those living nearby blasted the decision as ‘strange’ because homeless people live an ‘isolated existence anyway’. Critics said frontline NHS workers should all be vaccinated first.
Meanwhile, Rick Henderson, chief executive of Homeless Link, has called for all UK councils to give their homeless populations the vaccine as a matter of urgency.
Lee Ullha receives an injection of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham. Around 30 people were given the jab after a clinic was organised at the shelter
In a letter to supporters Mr Henderson wrote: ‘Homeless Link will be kicking off the year with a campaign to ensure that people without homes are recognised as being clinically vulnerable, are included on the vaccination priorities list, along with the workers who support them, and are able and encouraged to register with primary care services.’
Rick Henderson, CEO of Homeless Link
Andy Winter, CEO of the Brighton Housing Trust, wrote a letter to MPs urging them to support making people without homes a priority for the jab.
He said: ‘I have written to Members of Parliament asking them to include homeless people in the priority groups for those to receive the Covid vaccine, together with frontline workers who support them.’
Yesterday, a clinic was organised at a shelter for the homeless in Oldham, Greater Manchester, where around 30 people were given the jab – with more planned.
It comes after others claimed there is ‘no uniform process’ across England with regards to who is prioritised for the vaccine, claiming GPs and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) seem to be using their ‘own discretion’.
But those living in Greater Manchester were not happy with the arrangement.
Louise Wilkinson, 42, an office worker from Oldham, said: ‘It seems a strange decision. If these people are homeless, they lead an isolated existence already and probably don’t come into contact with many other people.
Dr Zahid Chauhan prepares to administer a Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham
‘I’m not saying they are any less worthy than anyone else, I just think priority should be given to all frontline workers first. Supermarket workers come into contact with hundreds of people a day. They should be near the front of the queue.
‘Teachers should be one of the first to be vaccinated so schools can re-open as soon as possible. The emergency services should be given priority too.’
Others agreed with ensuring workers were vaccinated ahead of the country’s homeless. Mechanic Scott Cotterill, 32, said: ‘You’re never going to please everyone.
‘Some will say it’s a good idea, while others won’t. If they want to get children back into schools and the economy up and running again, then they should vaccine teachers and workers first as they are needed to do that.
‘If you want to protect the vulnerable and the ones most likely to die and put a strain on the NHS, then the homeless fall into this category.
Kelly Heney pictured with NHS staff giving her an injection of the Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester, as the council and GPs launch an effort to vaccinate homeless people in the town to protect them from the virus
‘I personally think vaccine workers, teachers and emergency staff first but it’s a difficult choice.’
Britons took to Facebook to share their opinion with one woman writing: ‘Oh my days I don’t begrudge anyone a vaccine but shouldn’t we be concentrating on getting our kids and parents back?
THE UK’S VACCINE PRIORITY GROUP LIST
1 Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
2 All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
3 All those 75 years of age and over
4 All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals (not including pregnant women and those under 16 years of age)
5 All those 65 years of age and over
6 Adults aged 16 to 65 years in an at-risk group (see below)
7 All those 60 years of age and over
8 All those 55 years of age and over
9 All those 50 years of age and over
10 Rest of the population (to be determined)
‘I’d love a vaccine – I’m a foster carer who has medical conditions and has vulnerable kids 24/7 they need to go back to school.’
Another man added: ‘Yes good idea give the elderly who don’t work and the homeless who don’t work, and leave the ones who have to go out and work to die. Good idea!’
One woman wrote on social media: ‘Sorry but think supermarket staff should be before these they risk there lives daily and those of there families.’
Dr Zahid Chauhan, who is also an Oldham councillor with responsibility for health and social care, said homeless people should be on the priority list because, along with those aged 80 and over, they are more at risk from the virus.
He told MailOnline: ‘We don’t know if we can or can’t decide, but with such a low life expectancy of 43-45, homeless people are an extremely vulnerable group in our opinion.
‘So they will come in the highly vulnerable group anyway and people in this group can be identified by our GPs. It is the right thing to do.’
He earlier said: ‘I’m absolutely delighted.
‘It is setting an example for the rest of the country, rest of the world, and saying, ‘Please, please don’t ignore these people.”
Dr Chauhan continued: ‘We can protect them, and if they catch Covid they become ill and if they become ill, that’s where you end up in hospitals, if you are lucky, your hospital beds go, your ICU beds go.
‘So it makes absolute sense from all directions to actually vaccinate these people and I’m still requesting Government, please consider again, it is my plea to you, these are extremely vulnerable people.
‘Please put them in a priority group.’
He added: ‘You don’t give up on people because they don’t have resources and they have not been privileged like me and you.
‘You don’t give up, that’s not what we do as British, these are not our British values. We help people, we pull them together.
‘It could be any one of us tomorrow.’
Baroness Campbell tweeted this morning: ‘There isn’t a uniform process across the country sadly.
‘It seems that GP practices and CCG’s are behaving under their differently, using the own discretion. Personally, I made a good case to my GP who then agreed that the guidance empowered him to get me vaccinated.’
The decision has sparked debate over whether the homeless should be a priority for the vaccine.
Oldham local Maria Balde, 20, said: ‘Everyone should be treated equally and be offered the jab if they want it’
But local resident Maria Balde, 20, a support worker at a care home, said: ‘I think it is a sensible idea.
‘If they are the most vulnerable and at risk, then they should have the vaccine. Some people in the care home I work in have had the jab today.
‘I don’t think homeless people should necessarily get the jab ahead of others. I think everyone should be treated equally and be offered the jab if they want it.’
One man commented: ‘I cannot believe people criticising.
‘There are many armed forces veterans on the street – do they deserve criticism?
‘Probably done more for this country than most of the whingers.
‘Get a grip and have some empathy, stay in your house where you’re supposed to and thank your lucky stars you have a home.’
Another woman added: ‘The elderly certainly deserve to be given priority along with the NHS, and if someone thinks the homeless should be vaccinated as well then so be it.
‘I go to work every day and risk catching Covid and my husband is in the at risk category but I will happily wait my turn so long as the more in need get some protection first.’
NHS staff are pictured preparing to administer an Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester, as part of a new initiative
An NHS worker holds up a vial of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine at the clinic in Oldham. Oldham Council and local GPs decided the town’s homeless people should be made a priority
Couple Kelly Heney, 38, and Lee Ullha, 46, stay at the homeless shelter where they were vaccinated with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.
Mr Ullha said: ‘We got evicted when this Covid thing kicked in, that’s why we were living in the park so we didn’t really watch TV, so we didn’t really know much about it.
‘It’s scary, especially with the new strain of Covid, I don’t think people take it as serious as it is.
‘You see people walking round without their masks and it’s, they’re all saying, ‘It’s not a real thing, it’s all make believe.’
‘It’s important to get it done. It’s for your own safety.’
Ms Heney said: ‘For me, I can’t believe it’s just happened. I’m excited and so happy that we have actually just had the Covid injection because it’s a big thing.’
Dr Salim Mohammed, an Oldham GP helping with the vaccinations, added: ‘It’s hard not to see their reaction and feel very warm inside because they were so happy and you could see it. It’s just another day in medicine.’
Homeless couple say they’re excited to get the Covid-19 vaccine
Couple Kelly Heney, 38, and Lee Ullha, 46, stay at the homeless shelter where they were vaccinated with the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab.
Mr Ullha said: ‘We got evicted when this Covid thing kicked in, that’s why we were living in the park so we didn’t really watch TV, so we didn’t really know much about it.
‘It’s scary, especially with the new strain of Covid, I don’t think people take it as serious as it is.
‘It’s important to get it done. It’s for your own safety.’
Ms Heney said: ‘I’m excited and so happy that we have actually just had the Covid injection because it’s a big thing.’
Ms Heney and Mr Ullah were each fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 to victim services for credit card theft and attempted fraud in December last year, according to the Oldham Times.
The couple, who gave the magistrates’ court an address, used the stolen card to try and obtain more than £500 worth of goods.
When sentenced, Mr Ullah was also ordered to undertake treatment for drug dependency.
The GP has been vaccinating people in the area for the last few weeks and started with the over 80s.
He added: ‘It’s important that we continue to vaccinate those most at risk from COVID-19, and this includes people impacted by homelessness.
‘We are in the process of planning how we can vaccinate this group. They are already some of the most vulnerable people in our society and it’s important their risk of contracting COVID is reduced.’
A spokesman for Oldham Council confirmed that while not all of those from priority groups 1 to 3 have been vaccinated at this stage, they are hopeful to have achieved this by mid-February.
A spokesperson for Oldham Council and NHS Oldham CCG said: ‘Our homeless people are particularly vulnerable, and one of the hardest groups to reach when it comes to accessing medical care.
‘That’s why, here in Oldham, we’ve worked with local charities to ensure those sleeping rough and most at risk were vaccinated as soon as possible.
‘Meanwhile, roll-out of the vaccine among priority groups is progressing well. All of those in care homes will be vaccinated by next week, while we aim to have all those people in the top four priority groups vaccinated by the middle of February.’
The council said more than 3,700 residents have taken up the offer of the vaccine since the mass vaccination programme started in December.
Earlier this month, the Government announced a £10million fund to help local councils house rough sleepers and ensure they were registered with a GP.
The Government said this would ensure they could be protected from the virus and contacted to receive vaccinations.
Councils were instructed to work closely with local health partners to ensure those sleeping rough ‘are able to access the COVID-19 vaccine in line with the priority groups outlined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’.
NHS staff prepare to administer the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine at the Depaul UK homeless shelter in Oldham, Greater Manchester
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick MP said: ‘At the start of this pandemic we made sure that the most vulnerable in society were protected.
‘This winter, we are continuing in this vein and redoubling our efforts to help those most in need.
‘Our ongoing Everyone In initiative is widely regarded as one of the most successful of its kind in the world, ensuring 33,000 people are safe in accommodation.
‘We are now going further and focusing on GP registration of rough sleepers.
Communities minister Robert Jenrick announced additional funding to help local councils house rough sleepers and get them registered with GPs earlier this month
‘We are also extending the ban on bailiff evictions – helping to protect the most vulnerable renters.’
Reacting to the Government initiative, Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: ‘These renewed efforts to protect people who are homeless in the pandemic will save lives.
‘The highly infectious new strain of coronavirus alongside the cold weather makes this the most dangerous moment of the pandemic for those without a home.
‘What is very welcome here is the two-pronged approach – a continued commitment to getting everyone into safe accommodation but also now making sure people are registered with a GP so they can quickly access the vaccines.
‘We know through our services that people facing homelessness often are not registered with a doctor’s surgery.
‘Addressing this issue will be a lifesaving intervention and a step towards ensuring people who are homeless are protected in the longer-term.’
According to the Government guidelines, people who are ‘clinically extremely vulnerable’ – which would place them in priority group 4 – are defined as at very high risk of severe illness from coronavirus.
Guidance states you may fall into this category if you suffer from one of a number of listed illnesses on the Government website which includes certain types of cancer, severe respiratory conditions and rare diseases that significantly increase the risk of infections.
However, the guidance does go on to state that it could include ‘other people who have also been classed as clinically extremely vulnerable, based on clinical judgement and an assessment of their needs.’
It adds that GPs and hospital clinicians have been provided with guidance to support these decisions.
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: ‘This continues to be a challenging period for people right across the country, particularly vulnerable people who are homeless and we have invested over £700 million on concerted efforts to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping through a range of initiatives.
‘The NHS is working tirelessly to bring an end to this pandemic through vaccinations.
‘The Government is following the independent advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which agrees priority groupings for vaccine.
‘Anyone who is homeless and falls into these groups is eligible for the vaccine and we are working closely with partners to ensure they can access it.’
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