'Coughed on by people thinking they have Covid-19' - virus testers ask why they are not vaccine priority

Covid-19 testers employed by private companies have asked why they have not been moved further up the Covid-19 vaccine priority list, two months into the rollout.

Covid-19 testing centre at Edinburgh airport

As these employees do not work for the NHS, they are not included in the “frontline health and social care workers” priority group.

But some have called for this to be changed, with one tester employed by Sodexo at Edinburgh Airport saying Covid-19 testers are “being forgotten in this pandemic”.

"Can it be investigated why Sodexo employees who genuinely are on the front line of testing, being coughed on, sneezed on and in direct contact with people who believe they have Covid-19 are not being offered the vaccination,” said the tester, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of losing their zero hours contract.

The priority decision “sets the tone that Covid testers are of little value or worth and are completely dispensable,” they said.

A spokesperson for Sodexo said the company is “awaiting guidance” on when testing centre staff will be eligible for vaccination.

It comes as Test and Protect staff also raised concerns about not being on the vaccine priority list.

"Several members of staff have raised concerns over not receiving or being offered the vaccine given they are as close to the front line as our nurses and doctors,” said one staff member in the NHS Grampian region, who said “several members of staff” working as Covid-19 testers had contracted the virus “in their line of work completing tests.”

They added that not being in the priority group made staff feel “undervalued”

When asked about vaccination priority groups at the coronavirus daily briefing on Friday, National Clinical Director Jason Leitch said the priority list, which the Scottish Government has based on guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, is based on “risk of death”

He added: “That risk of death is usually about the individual who receives the vaccine. In health and social care workers, it’s actually about the risk to those they serve - the elderly on the wards, or those who are in the GP practice or going to the dentist.”

“There is no increased risk of death in that group in Covid testing centres, and therefore they are not in the priority list.”

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