Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to continue providing a covid-19 vaccination programme for (a) all people and (b) people classified as vulnerable under the age of 50; and whether he plans to introduce an alternative to the covid-19 vaccination programme for those people.

Everyone, who was five years old or older on 31 August 2022, is currently eligible for primary vaccination and those aged 16 years old or over are also entitled to an initial booster (third dose). Those who are at higher risk of serious outcomes from COVID-19 are eligible for a further seasonal booster under the current autumn campaign.

The autumn booster campaign will close in England on 12 February, as will the offer of an initial booster (third dose) for persons aged 16 to 49 years old who are not in a clinical risk group. We encourage everyone currently eligible to come forward before these offers close.

In line with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI’s) advice, the primary (initial) course offer of COVID-19 vaccination will now move towards a more targeted offer limited to vaccination campaigns for those at higher risk of severe COVID-19. This means that the offer of primary vaccination will continue for at-risk groups including those aged between five and 49 years old who are either at higher clinical risk or at high risk of transmitting the virus to vulnerable people and will end for those aged under 50 years old who are not in an at-risk group. The Government is considering when during 2023 this recommendation should be implemented.

The JCVI will continue to review evidence and will provide further advice regarding the 2023 vaccination programmes in due course. The Government continues to be guided by the independent JCVI on who should be offered COVID-19 vaccinations. The offers of primary course vaccination have been widely available since 2021.  A more targeted offer of primary course vaccination during vaccination campaign periods will enable vaccination efforts to be more focused and allow more efficient use of National Health Service resources. The Government has no plans to offer an alternative to the COVID-19 vaccination programme for groups where COVID-19 vaccination is not advised by the JCVI.