Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he estimates that people in priority groups one and two will have received their (a) first and (b) second covid-19 vaccine.

Everyone in the top four priority cohorts was offered their first dose by 15 February. The Government will ensure everyone will be able to access their second COVID-19 vaccine within the specified time limit as outlined in the United Kingdom COVID-19 vaccine delivery plan. Local National Health Service delivery plans are ensuring second doses are given in line with timescales set out by the independent regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Everyone will be offered a second dose within 12 weeks of their first. Therefore, we would expect all people in priority groups one and two to be offered the opportunity to receive their second dose by mid-May.

The National Health Service across the United Kingdom will continue prioritising the first dose of the vaccine to those in the most high-risk groups; however, this will not interfere with everyone receiving their second dose within 12 weeks of their first.

Further information can be found in the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/letter-from-the-health-and-social-care-secretary-on-covid-19-vaccination-to-protect-severely-immunosuppressed-adults/letter-from-jcvi-on-considerations-on-covid-19-vaccination-of-adult-household-contacts-of-severely-immunosuppressed-adults-24-march-2021