As the vaccine program gathers pace across Essex, Labour’s PFCC Candidate Chris Vince has called for those at the forefront of our emergency services to be prioritised.

During my day job, working for a charity in Harlow, I work with a number of members of the police service and already know that during their day to day work a number of them have unfortunately caught covid-19.  Fortunately none of them have been hospitalised by this dreadful virus, however let’s be clear they have been lucky.  The effect of Covid-19 is varied and sometimes even those who don’t have underlying health conditions are hit hard by it.  Having spoke to people who have had the virus I also know that the fatigue that it causes is long lasting.  With less police on our streets and in our communities keeping us safe than we had ten years ago (over 300 less officers in Essex alone) we can’t afford for police officers to be off sick long term adding additional pressure on those remaining.

Our county’s police and fire officers, as well of course as other front line workers such as those in the NHS and Ambulance service and the food retail and distribution service, put themselves at risk everyday and it is important that they are a priority when it comes to getting vaccinated.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our emergency services for their hard work now and always but also send a clear message to the government that vaccinating them must be a key priority

Chris Vince
Labour PFCC candidate for Essex and Harlow Councillor