VACCINATION AS A CONDITION OF DEPLOYMENT (VCOD)

On 1 March 2022 the Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid announced that following consultation on the removal of VCOD, the Government will bring forward regulations to proceed with revoking this policy. These regulations will come into force on 15 March 2022.

The regulations will revoke the requirements that CQC registered persons only permit those who are vaccinated against COVID-19, unless otherwise exempt, to be deployed for the provision of a CQC-regulated activity in health and/or social care, and to enter CQC registered care home premises.

The consultation found that 90% of respondents supported revoking the requirement of VCOD.

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UPDATES TO VOLUNTEERING GUIDANCE

Following the PM’s announcement, the following changes are in effect, or will be implemented soon:

·  Ending of legal requirement to self isolate following a positive test result from 24 February.

·  End of routine contact tracing on 24 February.

·  Ending of free testing for the general public from 1 April.

·  Ending of guidance for voluntary COVID-status certification for certain venues from 1 April.

Additionally, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) guidance on insurance has changed. Volunteer drivers who are helping those in need during the pandemic may now need to inform their insurance company. Read guidance on insurance for volunteer drivers from the Association of British Insurers (ABI) https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2021/04/insurers-support-for-office-home-workers-to-continue/?timeout=s.

.GOV will be updating their volunteering guidance pages shortly in line with the removal of the legal requirement to self-isolate and changes to ABI guidance on insurance:

Volunteering During Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus-volunteering
Enabling Safe and Effective Volunteering During Coronavirus (COVID-19) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/enabling-safe-and-effective-volunteering-during-coronavirus-covid-19