The Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) is throwing its weight behind a Government campaign to drive vaccine uptake across the UK. The Federation will be helping to spread the message amongst builders’ merchants and building materials manufacturers, urging them to encourage all colleagues to get the COVID-19 vaccine when eligible.
The BMF is just one of the leading businesses, employer and industry bodies that have come together to support the biggest vaccination programme in the UK’s history. They will urge member companies to play their part and do everything they can to ensure colleagues are protected and get everyone back to work safely.
The Government is calling upon all UK organisations to introduce internal awareness campaigns to promote the benefits of vaccines. BMF members will be supplied with a range of promotional resources co-branded with the NHS providing accurate and reliable information to encourage staff to get the vaccine. BMF members will also be asked to provide flexibility for colleagues to attend vaccine appointments during work hours.
BMF CEO, John Newcomb said: “The building materials community has been incredibly supportive of the NHS since the start of the pandemic, supplying PPE equipment during the initial shortage and joining the BMF’s ‘Builders’ Merchants Supporting the NHS’ scheme to offer NHS workers discounts at local builders’ merchants.
“We are confident that our community will do everything it can to support the NHS once more by promoting vaccine uptake and making it as easy as possible for team members to attend appointments to get their jab.”
Vaccine Deployment Minister Nadhim Zahawi said: “Vaccines save lives, they protect you and your loved ones from this terrible virus and they are the best way out of this pandemic.
“Thank you to all of the organisations which have joined this incredibly important campaign to promote vaccine uptake.
“I call on every business in the UK, no matter how big or small, to join the national charge and help your employees to access life-saving jabs when they are eligible.”
With more than 54 million vaccines administered so far, people aged 38 and over are now eligible to get their COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccinated people are far less likely to get COVID-19 with symptoms. Vaccinated people are even more unlikely to get serious COVID-19, to be admitted to hospital, or to die from it and there is growing evidence that vaccinated people are less likely to pass the virus to others.
The government has already hit its target of offering everybody in cohorts 1 to 9 – those aged 50 and over, the clinically vulnerable and health and social care workers – a first dose of the vaccine by 15 April and is on track to offer a jab to all adults in the UK by the end of July.
For more information on the Covid-19 vaccine, visit: www.nhs.uk/covidvaccine
For BMF/NHS vaccine campaign resources, email Hannah.Taylor@bmf.org.uk
