Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending eligibility for a fourth dose of covid-19 vaccine to people who were previously classed as vulnerable in age brackets below 75 years old.

The primary aim of the spring COVID-19 vaccination programme is to reduce the risk of severe disease in the population. Evidence suggests that those aged 75 years old and over are at higher risk of severe illness and hospitalisation following infection by COVID-19. Based on an assessment of the available evidence, protection against severe disease after the first booster dose declines slowly, therefore this precautionary vaccination programme prioritises the most vulnerable groups.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation considers the latest available data and reviews the vaccination programme in relation to the timing and benefit of any additional doses for public health.