Row over suggestion councillors could help take vulnerable for their Covid vaccinations
Elderly and frail people in Dudley should be offered taxis to Covid vaccination centres to ensure they get their jab, a leading councillor has said.
But a suggestion that local politicians could also help ferry the over 80s to their potentially life-saving injections has been branded ‘the height of stupidity’ by the borough’s council leader.
Councillor Patrick Harley’s scathing comment came after Councillor Shaukat Ali, shadow cabinet member for health and social care, wrote to the local authority asking what it is doing to transport people to vaccine sites.
Councillor Ali said: “People aged 80 and over are now being vaccinated however there are concerns about some being put off because they don’t have their own transport, don’t have family living nearby, are unable to use public transport or can’t afford to pay for a taxi.
“The lack of access to transport should not be a reason for not getting the vaccination.
“Elderly and frail residents who don’t have access to transport should be offered support to get to their appointments.”
He has also contacted the council’s director of public health for advice on how people can help transport others to appointments, saying: “I, alongside other Labour councillors, have offered to volunteer to drive residents once we have received advice from public health.”
But his suggestion has been blasted by the council leader, who said Dudley was already providing transport.
Nurses
Councillor Harley said: “Provision is already there for those vulnerable age groups who cannot access the vaccination programme due to being housebound and with underlying conditions. Nurses from individual GP provision will make home visits.
“Therefore, what he’s asking for is already being provided.
“I for one would not recommend any councillors from any party offer to drive those vulnerable age groups for their vaccine jabs.”
Calling it ‘the height of stupidity’, he added: “The last thing they need is every Tom, Dick or Harry offering to drive them knowing this new variant is so infectious and that people aren’t fully protected after having the jab for 2/3 weeks then what he’s proposing is just wrong at this critical time in our fight against this pandemic.
“Elected members can help in many ways but this should be left to those professionals who are doing a world beating job in rolling out the vaccine.”
Councillor Ali hit back saying Tory-controlled Cambridgeshire Country Council recently called for volunteers, while the Conservative leader of Stafford Borough Council had personally offered to drive people to vaccination centres.
“His comments are irresponsible and childish and not worthy of a leader of the council,” Councillor Ali added.
Vaccinations are being administered in each of the borough’s primary care networks as well as Russells Hall Hospital.
A mass vaccination centre is planned to open at the Black Country Living Museum at the end of this month.
