Throughout this summer the work of Government has been continuing.
One example was confirmed by the Treasury Chief Secretary, who reiterated that Government is putting together a further package for cost of living support which the next Prime Minister will be able to act on without delay.
Another came last week with an announcement that the NHS will start the Covid-19 autumn booster vaccine rollout in early September for those eligible who want to receive one.
To date, the UK’s Covid-19 vaccination programme has been world-leading and the largest and fastest vaccine drive in the history of our health service.
The next phase is set to commence in the week of Monday 5th September, when NHS staff will start vaccinating care home residents and people who are housebound.
The National Booking Service will open the same week in advance of the wider rollout which is set to start on 12th September. The NHS will invite people who are most susceptible to serious illness from Covid-19, and those aged 75 and over, to book an appointment from that week.
As we are used to seeing in the previous rounds of the vaccine programme, the oldest and most vulnerable people will be called forward first. People will be able to book online or by calling 119 for as long as it has been three months since their last dose.
Included in this booster rollout will be the next generation bivalent vaccine, with the NHS becoming the first healthcare system on the planet to use this. It recently received approval from the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and is so-named because it targets two coronavirus variants: the original virus and the Omicron variant.
The NHS will also be rolling out the flu jab and eligible individuals may be offered the flu and Covid vaccines at the same time, with the doses approved to be co-administered.
The Government have accepted medical advice which states that a Covid-19 booster vaccine should be offered this autumn to: residents and staff in care homes for older adults, frontline health and social care workers, all adults aged 50 years and over, people aged 5 to 49 in a clinical risk group, people aged 5 to 49 who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, and people aged 16 to 49 who are carers.
Since Margaret Keenan became the first person to get a Covid-19 vaccine in this country in December 2020, millions nationwide including tens of thousands of people in Crawley have done their bit to stop the spread of Covid by getting their jab. It is time to ask for all those eligible to come forward once again and get this vital protection.
Henry Smith MP
