NOT a single county council employee has been let go for refusing the Covid vaccine – but a trade union warns this could change.

Care staff nationally have been losing their jobs for not getting the jab, yet a spokesperson for the authorities told the Echo this is yet to happen in the area.

But UNISON, the largest union in the UK, said that jobs are likely to be lost after November 11, which is the deadline for non-exempt care staff to receive both doses.

Callum Williamson, secretary of Hampshire UNISON, explained: "Put simply, the deadline for non-exempt care staff to have received both vaccinations is November 11 and that is why there haven't been dismissals at Hampshire County Council yet.

"We'll obviously be working with them to try and prevent people losing their jobs wherever we can (for example, through exploring redeployment and through making sure informed discussions about the vaccine are taking place).

"In the meantime, UNISON calls on the government to scrap the 'no jab, no job' rule for care home staff."

To date, 97 per cent of Hampshire County Council staff have received the first dose.

Cllr Liz Fairhurst, who specialises in health at the authority, said: “We have worked with our own care home staff and those in the private sector in the county council’s local authority area, to highlight the deadline and promote the requirement to be vaccinated.

"Being fully vaccinated offers the very best protection against Covid and is vital to help protect our workforce and the many vulnerable people for whom we care.

"We continue to actively work to ensure all those staff who are able to be vaccinated have their first dose, whilst understanding the best approach for those workers who meet the medical exemption criteria."