Updates on Covid-19 Vaccinations

I welcome the news this week that 80% of people aged 16 and over have now had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine; with 89% having received both doses. Our world class vaccination effort has been phenomenal both locally and nationally and continues to be our best weapon in the fight against Covid-19.

This week the Government made two announcements on Covid vaccines as we move into the Autumn. On advice of the Chief Medical Officers, vaccination will be offered to everyone in the 12-15 age group. This comes after the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations had previously ruled that the health benefits outweighed the risks and with the CMOs deciding that the broader benefits, including the benefits from reduced educational disruption, mean vaccination should be offered to this whole cohort.

Parents and their children should be supported to make a considered decision on vaccination and there should be no stigmatisation or pressure for people based on the decisions that they make. ‘At risk’ 12-15-year olds will continue to be offered two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, while those without underlying health conditions will be offered one dose. Once more data on second doses has accrued internationally, the JCVI will provide their view on whether, and what, second doses to offer. Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have previously been approved as safe for 12-17 year olds by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency.

The Government has also accepted advice from the JCVI for a booster campaign to protect against Covid for winter 2021/22. The JCVI has advised that for the 2021 COVID-19 booster vaccine programme individuals who received vaccination in Phase 1 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme (priority groups 1-9) should be offered a third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine. This includes:

•    Those living in residential care homes for older adults
•    All adults aged 50 years or over
•    Frontline health and social care workers
•    All those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19 (as set out in the Green Book) and adult carers
•    Adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals