England plans to revoke mandatory COVID jabs for health workers

FILE PHOTO: Staff members make preparations ahead of the opening of a NHS mass coronavirus vaccination centre at Epsom Race Course in Epsom, Surrey, Britain January 11, 2021. Dominic Lipinski/Pool via REUTERS

LONDON (Reuters) -The British government plans to revoke its decision to make COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for health workers in England after warnings that an already-stretched service could face serious staff shortages.

The policy would have required employees in the state-run National Health Service and social care workers to be fully vaccinated by April 1. This means they would have to receive their first shot this week to meet that deadline.