Worker at Herne Bay vaccine clinic left in tears after abuse over hour-long queues
19:15, 17 December 2021
updated: 19:26, 17 December 2021
A young worker at a vaccine clinic was left in tears this evening after facing abuse because of hour-long queues for jabs.
Staff were forced to warn those lined up outside Herne Bay's Queen Victoria Hospital that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
One worker addressed waiting patients at 6pm, saying: "The queue is long because everyone wants to get vaccinated, but that's no excuse to abuse our staff.
"If anyone else abuses a member of our staff they will be asked to leave.
"I've got a 19-year-old girl in tears in there because of the abuse."
The hospital is not operating a walk-in clinic, but it is understood some people have been arriving without booked appointment slots.
One patient said: "I'd booked a time for my booster after being invited by my GP, but you have to appreciate just how many people they're trying to vaccinate.
"These staff have had a monumental booster target thrust on them with no notice at all and are working all hours to meet it. They deserve to be cut some slack."
The chief medical officer said yesterday hospitals are likely to see a high rise in demand to admit Covid patients which will be more serious than the first wave.
Professor Chris Whitty was facing scrutiny from a cross party backbench committee today about the new strain of the virus and its potential impact.
He warned that admissions could surpass previous admissions rates that peaked at 4,500 daily in January.
Earlier this week, Boris Johnson urged every adult in the country to get "get boosted now" as Omicron continues to spread.
Professor Whitty warned at the briefing in Downing Street that "records will be broke a lot over the next few weeks" as the rates continue to rise.
But the Prime Minister added that admissions are coming down among vulnerable age groups where "boosters are in arms".
Mr Johnson also said we are “seeing signs of hope” as a “great national fightback has begun” to get booster jabs.
He told how everyone over 18 in England can use the national booking service to "get boosted now" from two months after their second dose.
