What are the Covid vaccine groups?
MILLIONS of Brits have received a vaccine for Covid-19 with over 700,000 having had a second – but what are the vaccine groups and when will you get your jab?
The jab list, determined by the JCVI (Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation) places the elderly and care workers at the top of the list.
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So far over 18.69 million Brits have received a first dose of either the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab or the Pfizer/BioNTech offering, with over 700,000 having received their second.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has vowed that all over 50s will be jabbed by the end of April.
Residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults were at the top of the list when the roll out started in December and many areas have now moved on to the over 65s.
Today it was also revealed that the vaccine programme will continue to prioritise people by age after those in their 80s were put at the top of the list.
People aged between 40 and 49 will be next in line for the jab, followed by the 30-39s age group and then all those 18 to 29.
Covid jabs are being dished out at a record pace with a new target to reach all adults by July.
But what is the priority list and where do you sit?
FIRST IN LINE
Prof Wei Shen, Covid-19 chair for the JCVI previously said that the JCVI’s current interim recommendation for who should get the jab first is to prioritise the most vulnerable in society.
He said: “At the very top of our priority list are care home residents and people who work in care homes.
“Following on, we will prioritise all the individuals going down age bands down from 80 plus year olds to 60 plus year olds.
“Following on, we will then prioritise adults who have an underlying health condition that puts them at risk.
“Following on from there, we will keep going on down in age bands to individuals who are aged 50 and above.
“If phase one is completed then we will have protected hopefully over 99% of those individuals who are at risk of dying from Covid-19.”
WHAT ARE THE UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS FOR PEOPLE IN GROUP SIX
Once all the over 65-s are vaccinated, everyone 18-65 who are in an at risk group will be jabbed.
Here are the health conditions included:
- a blood cancer (such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma)
- diabetes
- dementia
- a heart problem
- a chest complaint or breathing difficulties, including bronchitis, emphysema or severe asthma
- a kidney disease
- a liver disease
- lowered immunity due to disease or treatment (such as HIV infection, steroid medication, chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
- rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or psoriasis (who may require long term immunosuppressive treatments)
- have had an organ transplant
- had a stroke or a transient ischaemic attack (TIA)
- a neurological or muscle wasting condition
- a severe or profound learning disability
- a problem with your spleen, example sickle cell disease, or you have had your spleen removed
- are seriously overweight (BMI of 40 and above)
- are severely mentally ill
AT RISK
Government experts have previously said that the elderly and the most vulnerable would be first in time.
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said: “We have to target the most highest risk individuals in society and that is how it should be in terms of our system.
“If I could be at the front of the queue, then I would be.”
Asked whether the vaccine would be available privately, Prof Van Tam said it should be prioritised for those who need it, rather than those who can afford to buy it.
“One of the things I like about the NHS is that it’s there for everybody, irrespective of their level of wealth or who they are in society,” he said.
Vaccines are currently being rolled out across the country at GP surgeries, hospitals, and pharmacies.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock last month stated that the UK is vaccinating double the amount of people of anywhere else in Europe.
Older Brits should be covered by their first dose as soon as possible.
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Health Secretary Matt Hancock said people should encourage their grandparents to book a jab if they have not yet received it.
The self-referral for Covid jabs is a radical shift in the NHS vaccination policy.
Speaking at Downing Street, he said: “Until now we’ve said please wait for the NHS to contact you but now that message is changing.
“If you live in England and are 70 and over and have not got an appointment to be vaccinate then please contact the NHS.”