Doctors have reported that vaccination centre staff are facing verbal abuse, threats, and aggression from individuals demanding their second Covid-19 jab earlier than the recommended eight-week interval to facilitate summer holidays. In some cases, police have been called or security guards hired due to safety concerns.
A vaccination lead in south-east England said: “We’ve had a number of violent and aggressive incidents at sites, and even had to call the police, with people demanding their vaccine earlier than eight weeks.” A GP in London added that a volunteer was spat at, forcing the practice to hire security.
The abuse appears driven by frustration over travel restrictions. The government recently announced that fully vaccinated Britons returning from amber-list countries will not need to quarantine from 19 July. Ruth Rankine of the NHS Confederation warned this could escalate the problem, particularly among younger adults who may not be eligible for a second dose until September.
GP leaders are calling for clearer messaging from ministers to explain the scientific basis for the eight-week gap, which has been shown to boost immunity. Some sites have had to dedicate a nurse full-time to handle queries about early second doses, reducing capacity for actual vaccinations.
The Royal College of GPs condemned the behaviour as “entirely unacceptable” given the vital role of vaccinators in protecting public health.
