In this post, I will discuss this topic from two sides - for and against.
Yes, they should.
They have to ensure they are safe before contacting with other patients. It is called ‘professional responsibility’ by Steve Powis, the medical director of NHS. They have higher risks because they meet different patients everyday as an essential part of their job, and if, by any chance, they catch the virus, they may potentially become super spreaders. This means that the worst situation might be both doctors and patients are waiting for medical help.
There are people that are classified as vulnerable or old in this group; Their situation should be considered.
“Within those departments there will be healthcare workers who are more vulnerable than others, so those who are clinically vulnerable, those from ethnic minority backgrounds, and different age brackets will dictate how they prioritise staff...” —— Alison Pittard, dean of the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine.
Vaccination should be included in doctor’s welfare, so they should be vaccinated first to make sure they are safe - not only preventing the spread of the disease but also from the doctors’ side. Their 18 working hours per day put them at higher risks.
Doctors should be vaccinated first in order to potentially encourage people in such situation, as it seems safer and more persuasive. Therefore, this shows that the vaccine can be effective since many people trust doctors.
Once they have been vaccinated, there will be fewer infected doctors taking up the beds in wards, and more services are available to patients.
No, they shouldn't.
There are groups of people in the public that have higher priority than the doctors, such as elderlies and vulnerable people. They should be vaccinated first, since they have poorer immune system.
Some doctors are not willing to be vaccinated. They want their love ones that have a higher risk to get the first dose before them, and in such cases we should respect their opinion. Part of them don’t believe the vaccine. Study shows that 29% of frontline workers were vaccine-hesitant, and approximately 40% of care workers in America might consider to refuse vaccination. The rate of refusal is even higher in a different county in America.
They shouldn’t be vaccinated at the highest priority because frontline staff should be. Not all doctors are involved by the means of this definition. It is the frontline workers that have higher risk of deaths, not the normal doctors. For example, ICU staff should be the first ones. They are likely to have more physical contact with patients so they are more likely to be the super spreaders of the disease once they are infected. Moreover, they can not be easily replaced by other healthcare workers.
Vaccine is in a shortage, so it should be used to make as effective changes as possible in terms of public health benefits. To maximise this benefit, it should target at behaviourally vulnerable people who frequently have group meals, visit bars, and are socially more active than others.
Again, not all doctors are to be vaccinated. For example, a plastic surgeon. There is no need to vaccinate all doctors at the first round.
In conclusion, not all doctors should be vaccinated first, as some of them are relatively safe. On the other hand, some members from the health care team might have more priority. For example, nurses and ICU staff have more contact hours with patients.
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