news.sky.com Open in urlscan Pro
104.111.216.12  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

Skip to content
7 Jan

6°
2°
Watch Live
Menu
 * Home
 * UK
 * World
 * Politics
 * US
 * Climate
 * Science & Tech
 * Business
 * Ents & Arts
 * Travel
 * Offbeat
 * Analysis
 * Opinion
 * Videos
 * Weather

More
 * Home
 * UK
 * World
 * Politics
 * US
 * Climate
 * Science & Tech
 * Business
 * Ents & Arts
 * Travel
 * Offbeat
 * Analysis
 * Opinion
 * Videos
 * Weather




COVID-19: SAJID JAVID DIRECTLY CHALLENGED ON MANDATORY CORONAVIRUS JABS BY
UNVACCINATED NHS DOCTOR

Steve James, a consultant anaesthetist who has been treating coronavirus
patients since the start of the pandemic, tells Health Secretary Sajid Javid
about his displeasure with the government's policy of mandatory vaccination for
NHS staff.

Greg Heffer

Political reporter @GregHeffer

Fill 2 Copy 11 Created with Sketch.

Friday 7 January 2022 20:43, UK



Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

2:19



Moment doctor challenges Javid over jabs
A doctor spoke to Sajid Javid about his refusal to be vaccinated - despite
working in ICU since the start of the pandemic.
Video Player is loading.

Play Video - Moment doctor challenges Javid over jabs
Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 2:19
Loaded: 4.26%


0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE
Remaining Time -2:19
 
1x
Playback Rate

Chapters
 * Chapters

Descriptions
 * descriptions off, selected

Captions
 * captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
 * captions off, selected

Audio Track
 * en (Main), selected

Fullscreen
Share

This is a modal window.



Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque
Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge
StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional
Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall
Caps
Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone
Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%


Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently playing liveLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
Playback Rate

Picture-in-PictureFullscreen
Moment doctor challenges Javid over jabs
 * 
 * 
 * 
 * image/svg+xml

Why you can trust Sky News

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been directly challenged by an unvaccinated
hospital consultant over the government's policy of compulsory COVID jabs for
NHS staff.

During a visit to King's College Hospital in south London, Mr Javid asked staff
members on the intensive care unit about their thoughts on new rules requiring
vaccination for NHS workers.

Recommended
1/5
Sky Views: Is Kellyanne Conway in trouble?
Psilocybin: British study finds 'magic mushroom' drug can be safely used to
treat depression
We Finally Know Which European Country is the Worst
Siobhan Cattigan: Scottish rugby player dies aged 26
Celeb Couples with Major Age Differences
Sky Views: Is Kellyanne Conway in trouble?
Psilocybin: British study finds 'magic mushroom' drug can be safely used to
treat depression

Psilocybin: British study finds 'magic mushroom' drug can be
safely used to treat depression

READ MORE
Recommended by


And Steve James, a consultant anaesthetist who has been treating coronavirus
patients since the start of the pandemic, told the health secretary about his
displeasure.

"I'm not happy about that," he said. "I had COVID at some point, I've got
antibodies, and I've been working on COVID ICU since the beginning.

"I have not had a vaccination, I do not want to have a vaccination. The vaccines
are reducing transmission only for about eight weeks for Delta, with Omicron
it's probably less.

Advertisement

"And for that, I would be dismissed if I don't have a vaccine? The science isn't
strong enough."



Mr James also revealed another of his colleagues held the same position.


MORE ON COVID

 * COVID: UK reports 178,250 daily coronavirus cases and another 229 deaths

 * COVID-19: R rate in England increases - here's the latest data as Omicron
   surges across the country

 * COVID: Another 179,756 daily coronavirus cases and 231 deaths reported in UK


RELATED TOPICS:

 * COVID
 * COVID-19
 * Coronavirus
 * Sajid Javid

Mr Javid replied: "I respect that, but there's also many different views. I
understand it, and obviously we have to weigh all that up for both health and
social care, and there will always be a debate about it."

Follow live COVID updates from the UK and around the world

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

1:24



'We should remain cautious'
In Northamptonshire, hospitals, care homes and emergency services are all
suffering a shortage of staff and increased demand because of coronavirus.
Video Player is loading.

Play Video - 'We should remain cautious'
Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 1:24
Loaded: 7.05%


0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE
Remaining Time -1:24
 
1x
Playback Rate

Chapters
 * Chapters

Descriptions
 * descriptions off, selected

Captions
 * captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
 * captions off, selected

Audio Track
 * en (Main), selected

Fullscreen
Share

This is a modal window.



Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque
Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge
StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional
Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall
Caps
Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone
Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%


Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently playing liveLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
Playback Rate

Picture-in-PictureFullscreen
'We should remain cautious'

Javid told to 'reconsider' rule

The consultant suggested the health secretary could use the "changing picture"
of the COVID pandemic during the Omicron wave to "reconsider" the rule.

Alternatively, Mr James suggested, the government could "nuance" the rules to
allow those who have antibodies - but acquired from infection and not
vaccination - to not be required to have a jab.

He told the health secretary that it "didn't make sense" to dismiss doctors who
already had COVID antibodies, but who did not want to be vaccinated.

"The protection that I've got from transmission is probably the equivalent to
someone who is vaccinated," Mr James said.

Read more: Doctor dismantles typical COVID vaccine hesitancy arguments

But Mr Javid told him "at some point that will wane as well". He added that the
government takes the "very best advice" from vaccine experts.

"I respect your views and more than that I respect everything you're doing here
and the lives you're saving," the health secretary told Mr James.

A King's College Hospital spokesperson said: "While currently it is not a
mandatory requirement for staff to get their COVID-19 vaccination or disclose
vaccine status to patients, we strongly support and encourage all our staff to
get their jab, in line with national guidance - and nearly 90% of our staff have
already done so."

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

3:08



'Full to the front door': Dozens wait for A&E beds
Patients are forced to wait in ambulances with capacity at some hospitals
stretched to the max.
Video Player is loading.

Play Video - 'Full to the front door': Dozens wait for A&E beds
Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 3:08
Loaded: 3.16%


0:00
Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE
Remaining Time -3:08
 
1x
Playback Rate

Chapters
 * Chapters

Descriptions
 * descriptions off, selected

Captions
 * captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
 * captions off, selected

Audio Track
 * en (Main), selected

Fullscreen
Share

This is a modal window.



Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

TextColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentBackgroundColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparentWindowColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanTransparencyTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque
Font Size50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%Text Edge
StyleNoneRaisedDepressedUniformDropshadowFont FamilyProportional
Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall
Caps
Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone
Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or
activating the close button.


Play
Mute

Current Time 0:00
/
Duration 0:00
Loaded: 0%


Stream Type LIVE
Seek to live, currently playing liveLIVE
Remaining Time -0:00
 
1x
Playback Rate

Picture-in-PictureFullscreen
'Full to the front door': Dozens wait for A&E beds

When does the requirement come in?

MPs last month voted to make vaccinations mandatory for NHS workers who have
direct, face-to-face contact with patients, unless they are exempt.

The legal requirement for NHS staff to be fully vaccinated as a condition of
their deployment to work is set to come into force from 1 April.

It means those health and care workers who have not yet had a first dose are
likely to have to do so by early February.

How many NHS staff are vaccinated?

According to latest NHS England data, more than 90% of NHS staff have had at
least two doses of a COVID vaccine and more than 60% have had a booster or third
dose.

The NHS encourages people to still get vaccinated even if they have previously
had COVID-19 or tested positive for antibodies in the past.

There are no safety concerns from vaccinating those who have previously had
COVID and those with past infection can still carry and pass the virus on to
others.

However, those currently unwell and experiencing COVID symptoms should not
receive a vaccine until at least four weeks after they have recovered from the
virus.

Doctors' and nursing unions have urged their members to get vaccinated, but have
expressed some scepticism about how effective the introduction of mandatory
vaccination will be on increasing uptake.


RELATED TOPICS

 * COVID
 * COVID-19
 * Coronavirus
 * Sajid Javid


Sponsored Links
 * 
   European Cities With the Highest Quality of Life Far & Wide
 * 
   They Have More Money Than Anyone on Earth Work + Money
 * 
   Anyone With Type 2 Diabetes Should Watch This! healthgoodtop

 * 
   Europe's 11 Best Overlooked Small Towns Thrillist
 * 
   Kissing Scenes That Went Completely Off Script Work + Money
 * 
   The Secret to How the Japanese Keep Their Feet Warm in the Winter Has Finally
   Been Revealed Hyper-Shoes.com

 * 
   Doctors Surprised: Earwax Might Be The Reason Of Your Tinnitus (Ear Ringing).
   Try This Tonight! gadgets4-you.com
 * 
   We Finally Know Which Breeds Match Each Horoscope Sign FamilyMinded
 * 
   Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You. Villas in Dubai | Search Ads



More from Sky
 * 
   Novak Djokovic: Jamie Murray questions Australian Open exemption given to
   world number one over vaccination
 * 
   Prince Andrew: Decision on duke's bid to get Virginia Giuffre court case
   dismissed due 'pretty soon', judge says



Sponsored Links
 * 
   50 Cool Maps of Europe That Will Make You Think farandwide
 * 
   Every Country in Europe, Ranked by Americans Thrillist



Sponsored
1/5
Here is what Villas in Dubai might cost you
These Maps Will Blow Your Mind
19 of the World's Most Breathtaking Destinations
The Japanese Way To Free Your Body from Toxins
Neue Zahnimplantate? Diese Preise müssen Senioren kennen!
Here is what Villas in Dubai might cost you
These Maps Will Blow Your Mind

These Maps Will Blow Your Mind
Far & Wide
Read More
Recommended by


 * Facebook
 * Twitter
 * YouTube
 * Instagram

ABOUT SKY NEWS DOWN

 * About Us
 * Sky Data
 * Sky News International
 * Sky News Library Sales
 * Site Map
 * Editorial Guidelines
 * Supreme Court Live
 * Sky News Board

SKY NEWS SERVICES DOWN

 * Sky News RSS
 * Sky News For Your Phone
 * Sky News Radio

SKY CHANNELS DOWN

 * Sky 1
 * Sky Witness
 * Sky Atlantic
 * Sky Arts
 * Sky Cinema
 * Sky Sports

MORE SKY SITES DOWN

 * NOW
 * Sky Ocean Rescue
 * Sky Academy Studios
 * Bigger Picture
 * Sky Group
 * Sky Bet
 * Sky.com
 * Sky News Arabia
 * Advertise With Us

 * Terms & Conditions
 * Privacy & Cookies
 * Privacy Options
 * Accessibility
 * Contact Us

© 2022 Sky UK