COVID-19 Vaccinations & the Workplace

COVID-19 vaccinations are now being rolled out in Britain, and GPs are preparing for mass vaccination. This will affect individual employees and once again shift workplace dynamics, and employers should consider having a policy about healthcare and vaccinations, both generally and specifically for COVID-19. These policies may need to be revisited as the government gives more detailed guidance about the COVID-19 vaccination roll out, but certain assumptions can already be made, such as:

• Key workers, the highly vulnerable and the elderly are being prioritised, and indeed are already receiving the vaccine;
• Re-vaccination will likely be needed, as the extent to which any vaccine will provide long-lasting protection against COVID-19 is uncertain;
• Risks will remain for some time, as vaccinating the entire U.K. population will take some months.  

It is therefore suggested that employers educate themselves about the vaccine and any necessary changes to their policy it will entail. This article provides some guidance for employers, including any exceptions to the vaccination. Our next article will cover interacting with employees about the vaccination, including encouraging employees to be vaccinated and considering situations where employees refuse to be vaccinated.

Exceptions

Scientific monitoring and research regarding the vaccines is still ongoing, especially with regard to certain groups of people such as pregnant women and those with allergies. The Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has confirmed that both the Pfizer-BioNTech and the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective for the immunisation programme, and have more recently approved the Moderna vaccine for use in the U.K.

Currently, more data is being considered before advice on having the vaccine during pregnancy and breastfeeding is released. Similarly, despite millions of vaccinations already having been administered, there have been only a small number of mild allergenic reactions. These have been mainly in people with a history of serious allergies, and those who have experienced an allergic reaction have generally recovered rapidly. However, employees who have a history of significant allergic reactions should delay being vaccinated until further medical advice becomes available. This advice also may well differ between vaccines, so employees with allergies should pay attention to further guidance as it is published. Our HR system can hold details about an employee's medical condition, including allergies, so that you could make certain employees aware of the potential concerns regarding the vaccination programme.

In general, as the situation develops, employers should make every effort to keep up to date with medical advice and guidance in order to protect both pregnant employees, and those with a history of allergic reactions. To do this, regularly check the government website and the NHS website for the latest information.

Offering Private Vaccines 

Although the state has made preparation to vaccinate every citizen themselves, there may be an opportunity for employers to pay for private vaccines for some or all of their employees. However, there is no obligation to offer employees a vaccination, and supply may prove to be a problem initially as stock is sold to governments. It may become more possible after the state vaccination programme has been rolled out, if an employer wishes to have certain employees vaccinated quickly for their convenience or business needs.

As it is not certain how long immunity lasts after the initial vaccine, it may be possible to offer a repeat vaccine to employees as a health benefit. However, this is conditional upon the improvement of supply of the vaccine, which will likely take some time.

It is also important for employers to consider:

• The most effective way to communicate with employees about the benefits of immunisation, covered in our next article on 29 January;
• The possibility of asking staff who have not had a COVID-19 vaccine to work from home. Other situations may adopt this strategy, such as passengers boarding planes or those attending sporting or other events needing to prove they have been vaccinated first. Approaching a conversation with employees about the vaccination is also covered in our next article.
• That policies should also include information on hygiene measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and employers should send reminders of those measures at the start of each season.
• Continuing the current trend of home working more permanently, or until immunity and vaccination become more widespread. 
• When employees are returning to the workplace, putting in place practical measures to ensure the continuing good health of the workforce even after the vaccination.