Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure accurate and timely monitoring of (1) new COVID-19 cases, and (2) new variants of the disease; and when the next round of booster vaccines will be made available to each age group.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) conducts routine monitoring and surveillance of COVID-19 and the emergence and spread of new variants internationally via a range of surveillance systems and genomic capabilities. These systems report on infection rates, hospitalisations and the risks posed by new variants.

This year’s autumn influenza and COVID-19 vaccine programmes is starting earlier than planned in England, on 11 September 2023, as a precautionary measure. Speeding up the Autumn vaccine programme will deliver greater protection, supporting those at greatest risk of severe illness and reducing the potential impact on the National Health Service.

The COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to:

- residents in a care home for older adults;

- all adults aged 65 years and over;

- persons aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group;

- frontline health and social care workers;

- persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression; and

- persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers and staff working in care homes for older adults.

An appointment will be offered to eligible people between September and December 2023, with those at highest risk being called in first. Those eligible for vaccination are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine as soon as they are called to ensure they head into winter with the best protection.