Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government why they have withdrawn the opportunity for COVID-19 vaccine boosters to people living with the immunocompromised people at risk of severe infection or death from COVID-19.

Following advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), in autumn 2022 an extra booster dose was offered to individuals aged 50 years old and over, residents in care homes for older people, frontline health and social care workers, those aged five to 49 years old in a clinical risk group and individuals aged five to 49 years old who were household contacts of people with immunosuppression or carers, as defined in the UK Health Security Agency green book. The autumn programme closed on 12 February 2023 in England.

On 7 March 2023, the Government accepted the advice of the JCVI to offer an additional booster vaccine dose in spring 2023. The primary aim of the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. Therefore, the spring booster has been offered to those at highest risk of severe COVID-19, adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in a care home for older adults and individuals aged five years old and over who are immunosuppressed.

The spring booster programme in 2022 also focused on those at highest risk of severe COVID-19 and offered an additional dose to these same targeted groups from 12 years old and up.