THE NEXT cohort of people to receive the coronavirus vaccine has been unveiled this morning.
The Joint Committee on Cavvinations and Immunications (JCVI) held a briefing, in which they announced those aged 40-49 would be next on the list of priority for a jag.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chair for JCVI, said opting to keep with an age-based priority system for phase two of the vaccine programme meant it would be simpler to administer, and added that it would help to deliver vaccines more quickly.
It comes after various groups, such as police officers, teachers and hauliers, have raised concerns about why they are not further up the priority list for a vaccine.
Mr Lim told a Downing Street press briefing: “Operationally, we know that age is a very easy and simple way to structure a vaccine programme.
“When we consider occupational groups, there are occupations where the risk of exposure to the virus might be higher.
“If we look at who is at risk of severe disease, ie. being hospitalised or sadly dying from Covid-19, even within occupational groups, it is those people who are older who are more at risk compared to younger individuals.
“In the instance of phase two, it is the people who are aged 40-49 who are at higher risk compared to younger individuals.”
Jeane Freeman, Scottish Government health secretary, welcomed the announcement.
She said: ":“We welcome the interim advice of the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation for phase two of the vaccine deployment programme to continue prioritising people for vaccinations by age, as this is assessed to be the best way to address the risk of severe illness and mortality.
"All four UK nations will follow the recommended approach for phase two of the vaccine roll out, subject to the final advice given by the independent expert committee.
"Each government remains focused on the target to offer a first vaccination to all those in the phase one priority groups by the middle of April and the remainder of the adult population by the end of July subject to the availability of supplies.
“The vaccination programme is one of three key ways we are working to beat this virus, along with our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and the important lockdown restrictions everyone in Scotland must follow.
"All these measures work to greatest effect when they work together.”
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