POLICE chiefs have hit out after the “extremely disappointing news” that frontline officers will not be given priority for coronavirus jabs.

There has been sustained pressure for frontline staff to be given priority access to vaccines because of the amount of face to face contact they have as part of their job.

However, scientific advisors whose recommendations have been used by all the governments in the UK - including Wales - have ruled against giving priority to police officers and teachers in the next phase of the vaccine rollout.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that focusing on age would "provide the greatest benefit in the shortest time".

The Welsh Government has followed the independent advice on vaccine priority from the JCVI since the start of the vaccine rollout as have all the devolved administrations.

A statement issued on behalf of the four Welsh Chief Constables – including Carl Foulkes for North Wales – expressed disappointment at the decision made by health officials.

They said: “Whilst we have recognised and supported the decisions to vaccinate those in high-risk categories, we have repeatedly asked that Policing be risk assessed so our officers and staff can be given due consideration, given the risks they take daily on behalf of us all.

“Police officers by the nature of their role have to go into different settings and come into contact with all high-risk groups along with also being unable to social distance and on many occasions cannot maintain PPE as designed, given the physical role they have to undertake.

“In addition, they are being tasked with enforcing isolation and quarantine arrangements on the government’s behalf on those they know have the virus.

“We believe that now the most vulnerable have been vaccinated we should seek to vaccinate those that risk their own safety and health, not through choice but through necessity to keep us all safe.

“We recognise the challenge of identifying those in a specific employment, but within policing this information can be made readily available and we are happy to supply this information.

“Protecting the protectors we believe is key if we are to maintain the trust of front line officers who are daily going above and beyond.

“As such we would ask that this decision is reconsidered in recognition of the unique role of policing, additionally we will continue to work, in Wales, with the Welsh Government in relation to this matter.”

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones also spoke out on the refusal.

Mr Jones condemned the decision, saying: “Police officers deserve better treatment than this because they are among the heroes of this pandemic.

“The recommendation that they, along with teachers, should not be given priority is a real kick in the teeth when they potentially they put their lives on the line every time they go out on duty.”

He added that the virus presents “another layer of risk to an already dangerous job”

Mr Jones continued: “Unbelievably, police officers have had to deal with the additional threat from a small minority of offenders spitting or coughing in their faces, saying they are infected with coronavirus.

“As a matter of urgency, am calling on the Welsh Government to put this right by including police officers among those given priority to receive a jab so they can continue to protect our communities across North Wales during the pandemic.”

Asked at Friday’s Welsh Government coronavirus briefing whether the vaccine would be prioritised based on people's jobs, Dr Frank Atherton - the Welsh chief medical officer - said that was unlikely.

He said: "We asked JCVI to look really carefully at occupational prioritisation.

"Taking an age-based approach covers a lot of these people anyway. For example, 45 per cent of police staff are aged over 40.

"Occupational prioritisation would complicate the rollout and slow it down."

The JCVI modelling studies for phase 2 of the vaccination programme indicate that the speed of vaccine deployment is the most important factor in helping prevent severe illness and death.

This means that in phase 2, priority will be given in the following order:

- All those aged 40-49

- All those aged 30-39

- All those aged 18-29

These groups will be vaccinated once all those in phase 1 (the over-50s and most vulnerable) have received a jab.