Liberty responds to plans to make vaccines mandatory for care home workers

Liberty has responded to plans to make vaccinations mandatory for people working in adult care homes this afternoon.

A Liberty spokesperson said: “We all want to keep each other safe and it is vital that those at increased risk of COVID, including people in care homes or those who rely on care workers, are protected.

A key way of maximising take up of the coronavirus vaccines is better education to support and empower people with a full understanding of the risks and benefits to themselves and others so they can give informed consent.

Coercion, however, is likely to be counterproductive. It will undermine relationships between employers, patients and key workers, seeding distrust and division.

Care staff have been on the frontline of this pandemic, risking their health and well-being to keep people safe. Forcing these same people to choose between their livelihood and their bodily autonomy is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent.”