Phase two of the Covid-19 vaccination programme to be determined by age

It has been announced today (26 February) that the groups in the second phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme will be prioritised in order of age, once all at-risk groups in phase 1 have been offered at least one dose.

There have been calls for phase 2 to prioritise certain professions, eg teachers and police officers - but this has been rejected by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation who said that priority based on jobs would be "more complex" and could slow down the programme.

Prioritisation will therefore continue in age order, once everyone included in phase 1 has been invited to make an appointment for their first dose of the vaccine.

Phase 2

• all those aged 40 to 49 years
• all those aged 30 to 39 years
• all those aged 18 to 29 years

The priority groups that are in phase one of the vaccination programme include everyone aged 50 or above, those with underlying health conditions and health care workers.

Phase 1

• Group 1 - residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
• Group 2 - people aged 80 years and over, and frontline health and social care workers
• Group 3 - people aged 75-79
• Group 4 - people aged 70-74, and high risk people aged 16 and over (the clinically extremely vulnerable)
• Group 5 - people aged 65-69
• Group 6 - people over 16 with long term conditions and carers (the main carer of an elderly or disabled person)
• Group 7 - people aged 60-64
• Group 8 - people aged 55-59
• Group 9 - people aged 50-54

The number of people in the Rochdale borough in the nine priority groups in phase 1 is believed to be around 120,000.

Locally, residents aged 65-69, those aged 16-64 in at-risk groups, and carers of older and disabled people are the groups currently being invited for a vaccine.

Other people at higher risk of hospitalisation from Covid-19 include:

• men
• those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities
• those with a BMI over 30
• those living in deprived neighbourhoods

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisations at Public Health England (PHE), said: “Delivering a vaccination programme on this scale is incredibly complex and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations' advice will help us continue protecting individuals from the risk of hospitalisation at pace.

“The age-based approach will ensure more people are protected more quickly. It is crucial that those at higher risk – including men and BAME communities – are encouraged to take the vaccine, and that local health systems are fully engaged and reaching out to underserved communities to ensure they can access the vaccine.”