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Written question asked by Alex Cunningham (Labour) on Friday, 11 December 2020, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 16 December 2020 (named day). A holding answer was provided on Wednesday, 16 December 2020. A substantive answer was provided by Nadhim Zahawi (Conservative) on Tuesday, 16 February 2021 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Coronavirus: Vaccination

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to prioritise funeral directors and staff for the covid-19 vaccine alongside health and care home staff.

Answer

The Green Book Immunisation Against Infections Disease chapter on COVID-19, states that hospital-based laboratory and mortuary staff who frequently handle COVID-19 or collect or handle potentially infected specimens, including respiratory, gastrointestinal and blood specimens should be eligible for COVID-19 vaccination as they may also have social contact with patients. This may also include cleaners, porters, secretaries and receptionists in laboratories. Frontline funeral operatives and mortuary technicians/embalmers are both at risk of exposure and likely to spend a considerable amount of time in care homes and hospital settings where they may also expose multiple patients, therefore they should also be eligible for vaccination.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
128673
Session
2019-21
Subjects
Health services Funerals Staff Vaccination Coronavirus
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk