A north-east undertaker has welcomed news that funeral directors will soon receive coronavirus vaccinations after raising fears that they were the nation’s “forgotten frontline workers”.
Brian Smith, of the family-run Brian Smith Funeral Services in Banchory, had previously called on the government to include those working in the funeral and cremation sector to be prioritised.
Mr Smith said those in his line of work frequently encounter situations that could put them at risk of infection, or of infecting others, such as working closely with care homes.
The funeral director said he was relieved that the Scottish Government has now confirmed the trade will be incorporated in the first wave of vaccinations, alongside those over 80, mortuary staff, hospital-based laboratory employees, frontline healthcare workers and others.
He said: “I’m delighted to see the Scottish Government has realised we had been forgotten about.
“I thought it was a shame that we weren’t really considered, but I’m relieved now that the industry is being prioritised here.
“I’ve got my name in already to get a jab.”
Mr Smith’s business was established in 1992, and operates in Peterculter, Banchory and Aboyne.
He said the vaccine will help his staff to feel more comfortable while they work with grieving families.
“We’ve got quite a young bunch of guys working with us, and it’ll definitely help them not to worry about their wives or kids when they go home after work.
“We work a lot in care homes, including ones that have had Covid problems, and we come into contact with patients and staff.
“You sometimes really don’t know if you’re going into a place that has Covid or not, it’s difficult not being able to know for sure who has got what, so this will be a big help.”
Mr Smith had written to the Tory Aberdeenshire West MSP Alexander Burnett, who wrote in December to the Scottish Government asking for funeral staff to be included in the first phase of vaccinations.
He said: “I’m happy the Scottish Government have listened to the concerns and taken the correct action to ensure funeral directors are included in the first vaccine.
“This sector forms part of our frontline staff who are helping families through tough circumstances.
In a Scottish Government publication detailing who is being prioritised for the jab, it says: “Frontline funeral operatives and mortuary technicians and embalmers are both at risk of exposure, and likely to spend a considerable amount of time in care homes and hospital settings where they may also expose multiple patients.”
Yesterday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that more than 175,000 Scots have had a dose of a vaccine.
And she said Scotland could vaccinate people round the clock with appointments on a 24/7 basis.
Ms Sturgeon said: “We will look at anything and everything that allows us to get this vaccination programme done as quickly as possible.”
Ms Sturgeon said supplies of the vaccine were still “relatively limited”, and that with the focus currently on getting jabs to care home residents and those aged over 80, these groups did “not lend themselves to out-of-hours vaccination”.
But when asked if Scotland could run vaccination clinics around the clock, she said: “Once we get into the general population, yes, if that is going to help us get through them faster then we will look at that.”
