Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will prioritise (a) bus, (b) train and (c) taxi drivers for receipt of the covid-19 vaccine.

For Phase 2 of the COVID 19 vaccination programme, JCVI published its interim advice on 26 February, setting out that the most effective way to minimise hospitalisations and deaths is to continue to prioritise people by age, rather than by occupation. This is because age is assessed to be the strongest factor linked to mortality, morbidity and hospitalisations, and because the speed of delivery is crucial as we provide more people with protection from COVID-19.

If bus, train or taxi drivers are captured in Phase 1 or 2 due to age or clinical need, then they will be vaccinated accordingly. However, there are currently no plans to vaccinate by occupation.