Why can’t frontline medical staff be vaccinated before the over 80s?

Many staff are already off work, across the country, York included. Many hospitals are bursting at the seams and various services (including cancer services) are suffering. We will all pay the price, whatever our ages, if yet more doctors and nurses have to self-isolate, are sick, or worse, die.

Much as I sympathise with elderly people (I do errands for several and have some much-loved older relatives and friends), I don’t think at this major crisis point they should get priority over hardworking medical teams. The over 80s can, after all, stay at home.

I say that with real sadness; I certainly don’t want them to feel isolated and lonely (and we could all try to help them, to reduce those feelings). But doctors and nurses can’t stay at home, unless they resign due to overwork, stress or fear, or catch the virus. Surely they should all be injected first?

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