Sajid Javid accuses unvaccinated of damaging society and overwhelming NHS
SAJID Javid has accused the UK's five million non-jabbed people of damaging the country by taking up hospital beds.
The Health Secretary urged them yesterday to have their shots for the sake of their friends, family and the nation. He spoke as a record-breaking 904,598 boosters were given in 24 hours in the race against the Omicron variant, taking the overall total above 28 million.
Ten percent of the population and about nine in 10 of those needing the most hospital care are unvaccinated.
Mr Javid said: "They must really think about the damage they are doing to society. They take up hospital beds that could have been used for someone with maybe a heart problem, or maybe someone who is waiting for elective surgery.
"But instead of protecting themselves and protecting the community, they choose not to get vaccinated.
"They are really having a damaging impact and I just can't stress enough, please do come forward and get vaccinated."
Mr Javid said the "honest truth" was the pandemic would continue to hit NHS waiting times.
Praising those booking jabs and "frontline heroes", he said: "Your unwavering effort is nothing short of extraordinary.
"My message to everyone yet to come forward for their first vaccine is that it's never too late.
"It is a positive choice that will protect yourself, your loved ones and your community."
Michael Bartley, a critical care matron at King's College Hospital in south London, said "80 to 90 percent" of patients in the unit were unjabbed.
England's chief nursing officer Ruth May said the NHS was pulling out the stops to get people boosted before Christmas and the spread of Omicron meant "there's no room for complacency".
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