Covid Winter Plan
This week, the PM set out our Covid Winter Plan, protecting the gains of our historic vaccine rollout that has allowed life to return to a sense of normality, which includes offering booster jabs to priority groups 1 to 9, continuing with the Test, Trace and Isolate programme, continuing to provide free lateral flow tests at this stage, and keeping a range of ‘Plan B’ measures under review to help control transmission of the virus whilst minimising economic and social damage.
We need to remember that Covid-19 is still out there, and the disease remains a risk, but I'm confident in our plan to use our vaccines to keep our economy open and our recovery on track.
Vaccines for 12-15 year olds
You will have all seen that the Government have accepted the recommendations of the UK's four Chief Medical Officers to offer young people aged 12 to 15 one Pfizer Covid-19 dose. From next week, all those in this age range will be invited to receive a first dose in a schools-based vaccination programme – as other countries such as France, Spain, Italy, Israel and the USA already are. Parental, guardian, or carer consent will be sought in line with existing programmes.
We know vaccinations are our best defence against the virus – they have already prevented over 112,000 deaths, more than 143,000 hospitalisations, and over 24 million infections. They have built a vast wall of defence and this will give our young people the strongest possible protection, and give more confidence to students, teachers, staff and parents that Covid will not be allowed to spread unchecked in schools.
To see the PM's statement yesterday, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-sets-out-autumn-and-w…