Care home residents and carers will be first to get the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19 after it was cleared for clinical use by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority.
The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisation (JCVI) said there is clear evidence that those living in residential care homes for older adults have been disproportionately affected by Covid-19 as they have had a high risk of exposure to infection and are at higher clinical risk of severe disease and mortality.
“Given the increased risk of outbreaks, morbidity and mortality in these closed settings, these adults are considered to be at very high risk,” it added.
“The Committee’s advice is that this group should be the highest priority for vaccination. Vaccination of residents and staff at the same time is considered to be a highly efficient strategy within a mass vaccination programme with the greatest potential impact.”
The full priority list is as follows:
- Residents in care homes for older adults and their carers
- People aged 80 and over and frontline health workers
- People aged 75 and over
- People aged 70 and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
- People aged 65 and over
- People aged 16 to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
- People aged 60 and over
- People aged 55 and over
- People aged 50 and over
The JCVI’s advice on priority groups for Covid-19 vaccination can be read in full here.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine will be rolled out in the UK from next week following approval.
