Focus during the UK inquiry on COVID-19 policies shifted to limited mandatory vaccinations, which the counsel to the inquiry describes as a “highly contentious topic”.
Hugo Keith KC says support for the policy in the UK was “generally quite low”, but it came into effect for staff in care homes in England in October 2021.
“There is considerable evidence… that this may not be necessary in any event, because the levels of uptake in the care sector were at a relatively high level anyway,” he says.
“In addition, it’s been estimated that the policy led to large numbers of staff leaving the sector.”
He touches on the government announcing in November 2021 the policy would be extended to frontline healthcare and social workers – which was “met with concern by the unions”, he says.
“And, in fact, the UK government’s own impact assessment estimated that even with mandatory vaccination, only a minority of healthcare workers would comply, resulting in tens of thousands of health care workers facing unemployment or redeployment,” he adds.
This policy extension was ditched a month before it was due to be enforced, he notes.
Accounts of ‘rare vaccine side-effects’ shown to inquiry
We watched an impact video, which consists of accounts from people who say they suffered very rare side effects from the vaccination programme.
Before it begins, Baroness Heather Hallett emphasises the video is not evidence, nor does it intend to be representative of the experience of the vaccinated population of the United Kingdom.
“It does not reflect my views,” says Baroness Hallett. “I will reach my findings on the evidence, and the evidence will explore in detail the overall benefits of the vaccination programme, as well as any problems it faced, or it created.”
The video begins with clips from several people, many of whom lost close relatives due to COVID.
One woman, called Katy from Scotland, said after she got the vaccination she had “terrible migraines” and “convulsions”, and there was “no support” afterward.
Katy
Riffat, from West Yorkshire, says she started feeling dizzy after the booster and “just passed out” in her bathroom. She says her doctors discovered she had a burst blood clot, but did not believe it was connected to the vaccine.
“The vaccine has been good for many people, but for those who have suffered because of it, there needs to be an appropriate way to address it, not to just tell you that you’re imagining it.”
Riffat
One woman, called K from London, said she had “misgivings” about the vaccine but was among the first in the line as she had a pre-existing medical condition.
“I am grateful that it seems to have worked. The fears I had didn’t materialise. It’s given us our lives back to what we had before,” she says.
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