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13 August 2021 | Comment | Article by Simon Ellis

Rising Covid rates in the UK armed forces potentially threatens National Security


Over the weekend it was reported that a rise in coronavirus cases among the UK’s armed forces is a potential threat to national security. This also demonstrates that the government is failing to protect troops, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Coronavirus have warned, which is a charge that is not new to the MOD.

The APPG have warned that the government needs to take “urgent action” to boost vaccine uptake among troops and protect them from the virus.

A total of 11,890 cases of Covid have now been recorded in the armed forces, which is made up of some 280,000 personnel. Comparatively, these figures seem fairly remote to one another, but it is the speed and increase in the figures that are giving cause for concern.

These MOD figures show an increase of 1,474 COVID-19 cases among the military in the two weeks to 23 July – which is the highest number recorded in any fortnight period in 2021.

Also of concern, the official figures show no COVID-19 vaccination record for approximately a quarter of armed forces personnel as of 5 July, some 54,742 personnel in total.

The APPG concludes that the increase in Covid transmission based on these figures poses a threat to national security.

Labour MP Clive Lewis, vice chairman of the APPG, said: “These shocking figures show the government is failing to protect our armed forces, who have played such an important role on the front line of this pandemic.

He continued: “Neglecting them and allowing COVID to ravage through their ranks threatens not only the fight against the virus, but also our national security.

“Ministers must urgently set out a plan to boost vaccine uptake in the armed forces and prevent cases from rising further.”

In response, the MoD claim that some 79% of all serving personnel have received a vaccination and that they have already vaccinated 74% of 18 to 29-year-olds since June 18, a statistic they claim that is ahead of UK national vaccination figures.

Additionally, they confirm that all personnel serving overseas have been offered a vaccine and they have no concerns regarding take-up, as only 0.5% of armed forces personnel have declined a vaccine.

At a time when there appears to be a hopeful return to normality in more and more aspects of our everyday life, due to the success of the vaccination roll out across the UK, these statistics are unwelcome news. We can only hope that these figures are a temporary setback for our armed forces in the fight against Covid-19.

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Author bio

Simon Ellis is a Partner with Hugh James and has worked with the firm for more than 25 years, having trained and qualified here. Simon heads up the Military Department, advising and assisting current and former military personnel with various health conditions and injuries. He specialises in claims such as hearing loss, non-freezing cold injuries, compartment syndrome and military injury cases. He is often asked to advise on more unusual claims in the military context.

Disclaimer: The information on the Hugh James website is for general information only and reflects the position at the date of publication. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such. If you would like to ensure the commentary reflects current legislation, case law or best practice, please contact the blog author.

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