It’s now three years since we were in the lull between variants of the Covid pandemic, and so much has happened since then. In August 2020 there was still no Covid vaccine, and social distancing and facemasks were the orders of the day.
Health organisations are now preparing for the next phase of booster vaccinations which will protect those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19.
The independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that for the autumn 2023 booster programme, the following groups should be offered a COVID-19 vaccine:
• residents in a care home for older adults;
• all adults aged 65 years and over;
• persons aged 6 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
• persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers
and staff working in care homes for older adults.
Those who are eligible will be contacted directly when the vaccine programme is ready to roll, and the Government will continue to provide updates as and when further decisions are made regarding the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
However, I am also aware that while most people have now had Covid during the last three years and made a good recovery, there are some whose symptoms including respiratory and mental health conditions, have continued for months and are now suffering from what ha become known as ‘long Covid’.
A network of 90 adult and 14 paediatric specialist services are operating in England to support patients suffering from long Covid, bringing together doctors, nurses, therapists and other specialists to carry out assessments of those experiencing enduring symptoms.
NHS England has also invested over £300 million to support the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of people with long Covid. It is vital we better understand the physical, psychological and rehabilitation needs for those experiencing long Covid, which is why I firmly support this ongoing research to improve our understanding.
