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Covid-19 Vaccinations
04 November 2021
Lead MP
Maggie Throup
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSSocial CareEmployment
Other Contributors: 14
At a Glance
Maggie Throup raised concerns about covid-19 vaccinations in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will update the House on our covid-19 vaccination programme. Since Margaret Keenan's first dose last year, we have delivered more than 100 million doses across the UK, including over 50 million first doses, 45 million second doses, and 8 million booster/third doses. The vaccine roll-out is critical for protecting public health and preventing hospitalisations; the Health Security Agency estimates that vaccines have prevented over 24 million infections and more than 127,000 deaths. With winter approaching, we are accelerating our efforts to ensure high levels of protection through boosters, especially as indoor mixing increases and flu circulates.
We now have 2,400 vaccine sites across England offering walk-ins or booked appointments regardless of NHS numbers, with community champions working locally to encourage uptake. The programme for children aged 12-15 has seen over 650,000 vaccinated since September, and we are rolling out boosters rapidly, with over 8 million people already receiving them and a record 1.6 million jabs in England last week. NHS staff continue to play a vital role, administering hundreds of thousands of booster doses daily.
Additionally, the Government is working on delivering antiviral treatments like molnupiravir to patients as part of our comprehensive strategy. We urge everyone to get their vaccinations and boosters when eligible to safeguard public health.
Tooting
Question
The clinically vulnerable are not getting the jabs they need. Local residents cannot get their booster doses due to system issues, especially for those without internet access or other digital barriers.
Minister reply
We recognise the challenges in reaching everyone and are using all available resources including community pharmacists and volunteers to go into care homes directly. We will continue to work on making it easier for people to book appointments, including early booking opportunities.
Tooting
Question
The MP thanked the Minister for her statement and praised NHS staff but criticised the Government's handling of booster jabs in care homes, low child vaccination rates during school holidays, and overall slow pace. She requested improvements in ventilation, proper sick pay, and local contact-tracing teams.
Minister reply
The Minister responded by highlighting 90% first dose uptake among adults and eight million boosters administered, with nine out of ten care homes having vaccinations or booked appointments. She also mentioned the launch of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to address health disparities exposed during the pandemic.
Jeremy Hunt
Con
Godalming
Question
The MP expressed gratitude for molnupiravir approval, inquired about distribution timeline, and suggested speeding up processes regarding JCVI decisions on teenager vaccinations. He also questioned booking system efficiency and asked about NHS workers' vaccination mandates.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged rapid steps to distribute antivirals post-approval by MHRA, highlighted the need for robust processes like those of JCVI, and expressed openness to improving accessibility but noted existing opportunities at walk-in centres. She did not comment on specific dates for NHS workers' vaccination mandates.
Question
The MP congratulated Scotland's vaccine uptake rates compared to England, inquired about UK Government plans to match Scottish performance and encouraged greater uptake among unvaccinated individuals. She also criticised the cancellation of a multi-million-pound contract for a potential more effective covid-19 vaccine.
Minister reply
The Minister complimented Scotland’s roll-out efforts and advised against commenting on commercial decisions regarding contracts.
Question
The MP urged the Minister to consider booking appointments in advance for people to get their boosters immediately upon eligibility.
Minister reply
The Minister assured her hon. Friend of ongoing efforts to make it easier for people to book and receive their boosters, first doses, second jabs and flu shots.
Sarah Owen
Lab
Luton North
Question
The Minister said earlier that she will not take any lessons from Labour on this issue but, given we have one of the highest death rates in Europe, perhaps she should. One in six of the most critically ill covid patients in the UK are unvaccinated pregnant women; what is the Government doing to protect pregnant women now and throughout the ongoing pandemic?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady makes a very good point. I encourage every lady who is either looking to become or is pregnant to talk to their midwife and their GP and get reassurance that vaccines are safe for that cohort of ladies.
Question
I got my jabs on time, I then managed to get covid—probably from this place—and I have also had my booster jab. I understand from the Minister that there is a new antiviral drug; how would that have been given to me when I was quite poorly with covid? When we have new drugs, can we give them easier names to pronounce?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend makes a good point: I do not know why the pharmaceutical companies come up with these tongue-tying names for their drugs. As I said earlier, we need to make sure that we roll out the new antiviral to the right people.
Catherine West
Lab
Hornsey and Friern Barnet
Question
Today marks the day when we have the most covid cases ever. My concern is schools. The advice is that ventilation works against covid, yet schools are desperately underfunded for ventilation measures. Will the Minister speak to the Minister for School Standards to ensure that the budget for such measures can be refreshed so that all children, staff and families can be as protected as possible from covid?
Minister reply
I agree with the hon. Lady that it is so important to protect our youngsters. A lot of investment has gone into making sure that there is ventilation in schools, but I will talk to my counterpart in the Department for Education to see whether more can be done.
Question
I recognise the enormous amount that is going into the booster programme and thank the Minister for that. In Norfolk and Waveney we are already up to nearly 55% of all eligible constituents having had their boosters, but my North Norfolk constituency has a particularly elderly demographic and we have no walk-in booster availability at all. I urge the Minister to put pressure on my local clinical commissioning group, given the worry it causes for the elderly demographic, to make sure that people can access walk-in booster jabs as quickly as possible.
Minister reply
I think my hon. Friend has already got his message over loud and clear to his CCG, but we can have further discussions if he finds that has not worked.
Daisy Cooper
Lib Dem
St Albans
Question
I am grateful to the Minister for having fixed the problems with the booster booking system that I raised with her two weeks ago, but the system for third jabs for the clinically extremely vulnerable is still in total chaos. Some clinically vulnerable people are saying that their GPs do not know which group they are in and, even if their GPs do know, those people who are eligible for their third dose and their jabs cannot be identified on the online system. Will the Minister commit to fixing the system in the next 48 hours and urgently reinstate the monthly meetings that her predecessor held with patient groups?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady raises an important issue. However, it is important that, for that individual whose GP is not able to give them a jab, they have words with their hospital consultant who may have more knowledge of their condition.
Question
I thank my hon. Friend for her statement. Delivering 8.7 million booster jabs at 2,400 vaccination sites is a great achievement. I agree entirely with the point about making booster jabs as available as possible. On that point though, in North Yorkshire, where we have had fantastic vaccine roll-out and take-up—it has been a great achievement—I am hearing mixed messages about what is happening in schools. The CCG has told me that they should be eligible for visits by the end of this month, but some schools have been reporting that they are not looking at visits until January or February next year by which stage, of course, it is too late. If I look at the website on the location of walk-in centres and tap in Harrogate, it brings up five locations in Halifax, which is about 17 miles away. Are there any problems with vaccine supply, or are we having some difficulties in North Yorkshire at the moment?
Minister reply
I can reassure my hon. Friend that there is no problem at all with the supply of vaccines; we have plenty of supply.
Rachael Maskell
Lab Co-op
York Central
Question
I cannot accept that the deaths of 217 people yesterday and 293 the day before shows good management of this pandemic. The fact that so many people are now dying of this virus is a call on Government to take urgent action. With the Minister’s own confession that 5 million people are yet to be vaccinated and the fact that my constituents are not able to get access to the flu vaccine either, it is clear that we are heading for a real health crisis. Will she urgently take back the message that we need greater public health measures to be introduced in order to keep our communities safe?
Minister reply
No death is acceptable and my condolences go to everyone who has lost somebody in this terrible pandemic.
Wera Hobhouse
Lib Dem
Bath
Question
Many of my Bath constituents have got in touch to say that they have trouble getting access to the booster vaccines. This is particularly worrying for the clinically extremely vulnerable, as we have already heard. The support for the clinically extremely vulnerable has been woefully inadequate, including the advice that they were given throughout the pandemic. As we head into winter, what guidance is the Minister giving to the 3.7 million people who were advised to shield last winter?
Minister reply
I think it is important that everybody takes personal responsibility and makes sure that they protect themselves.
Shadow Comment
Rosena Allin-Khan
Shadow Comment
I thank the Minister for her statement but express concern over the stalling vaccination programme as winter approaches. The clinically vulnerable are struggling to access necessary jabs, and only 23% of care home residents in Leicester have received their booster doses by November's deadline. In Wandsworth, just 67% have had two doses, highlighting systemic issues that disproportionately affect less affluent areas.
Child vaccination rates remain shockingly low at around 20%, exacerbated by half-term disruptions. The current trend suggests we won't complete the booster programme until spring 2022; a target of 500,000 boosters per day is essential to combat this. Additionally, improved ventilation and sick pay are critical but unaddressed by the Government. As winter looms, the absence of robust measures places lives at risk.
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