Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the findings by the JCVI that people on the Learning Disabilities Register are at increased risk of mortality from covid-19, if he will request a reassessment of this group’s eligibility for a fourth vaccine dose.

On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) to offer an additional spring booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine to those most vulnerable in the population as a precautionary measure. At that time, the JCVI did not recommend a further dose for those with learning disabilities, unless they were included in an existing eligible cohort.

On 19 May 2022, the JCVI) published interim advice on an autumn COVID-19 booster programme. The JCVI’s current advice suggests that a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to residents in a care home for older adults and staff; frontline health and social care workers; all those 65 years old and over; and adults aged 16 to 64 years old in a clinical risk group. The JCVI will continue to review the vaccination programme and the epidemiological situation, particularly in relation to the timing and value of doses for less vulnerable older adults and those in clinical risk groups, including people with learning disabilities before autumn 2022. The Government will consider the JCVI’s final recommendations later this year.