Labour is urging Ministers to ramp up the stalling booster
vaccine campaign to ensure everyone is protected through
vaccination and can enjoy Christmas safely.
Vaccination remains our greatest defence against the virus this
winter, so boosting the booster should be a priority. The latest
figures suggest on current trends, everyone who has received a
second dose won’t receive their booster until 12
February, almost 2 weeks after the Government’s target of the
end of January.
Labour is calling on the Government to:
- Set up pop up vaccination centres
in supermarkets and shopping centres so the public can get a jab
while they do their Christmas shopping
- Mobilise retired doctors and
volunteers to hit the target of delivering at least 500,000
boosters per day
- Reopen as many of the vaccination
sites that were closed over the summer as possible
- Using the increased capacity of new
vaccination sites, immediately open up booster appointment
bookings to adults across all age groups, including those under
40
- Launch a task force to deliver
booster vaccines to the most vulnerable, including two thirds of
housebound people who are yet to receive them
As well as supporting the measures announced by the Government
yesterday, Labour has also called for a plan to improve
ventilation in schools and sick pay, and ensuring that 12-15 year
olds receive their second and first jabs.
Whitehall analysis seen by The Telegraph reveals that just
170,000 housebound people have received their booster vaccines,
of a total of 470,000. The latest figures from the NHS reveal
that almost 30% of older adult care home residents have still not
received their booster vaccine.
, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Health
and Social Care, said:
"Our best defence against omicron is urgently ramping up the
booster programme, but the Government is not currently on track
to get everyone boosted by the end of January.
“We need to pull out all the stops on this. Vaccine centres
should be opened in shopping centres where people will be doing
their Christmas shopping, we need to remobilise the army of
retired medics and volunteers, and boosters should be open to all
adults.
“The NHS should continue to prioritise those most at risk,
including the elderly, housebound and care home residents, but
there is no reason it should be turning away others who are
eligible and keen to get their booster vaccines now.
“We want to make sure everyone can enjoy Christmas safely this
year, as well as protecting our NHS. The best way to do that is
boosting the booster campaign.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- The latest 7-day average shows
384,676 people received their booster per day over the past week,
well short of the 500,000 a day target Labour called for in
October.
https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations
- The Telegraph reported last week
that just 170,000 of the 470,000 housebound people in England
have received their booster.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/12/05/300000-housebound-people-yet-get-covid-booster-vaccines/
- A report last month claimed that a
third fewer vaccine sites are open now than in April.
https://metro.co.uk/2021/11/30/uk-aims-for-500000-booster-jabs-a-day-as-country-steps-up-omicron-fight-15686995/
- 46,610,800 people have received
their second dose as of 9 December.
- 21,300,859 have received their
third or booster dose as of 9 December.
- The 7-day average number of third
doses given for the week ending 4 December was 384,676.
- At this rate it will take 66 days
to give everyone who has had 2 doses their third dose or booster.
- The booster campaign will not be
done until 12 February.
Source: https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk/details/vaccinations
