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It’s too slow. The UK led the world in approving and delivering the first Covid jabs, but only half of the eight million currently eligible have had a booster since the programme began on September 16.
Thirty million over-50s and those with underlying health problems will become eligible for a top-up dose six months after their second jab. But at the current pace of 200,000 booster jabs a day – compared with 400,000 during the peak of the first drive – it will take until March to finish the job.
NHS England admitted it had sent out only 5.5 million invitations, and promised to despatch a further two million last week
There’s been a change at the top. The departure of those credited with the first rollout’s success – Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi and Kate Bingham, who led the Vaccines Taskforce – means it’s now in the hands of Maggie Throup, described as having ‘all the verve of cotton wool’.
NHS England admitted it had sent out only 5.5 million invitations, and promised to despatch a further two million last week.
It’s telling that the Government has brought back Emily Lawson, who ran the initial jab drive.
Is the public becoming complacent about Covid risks?Only partly. Many are unaware that protection wanes over time, which may account for the lacklustre booster uptake.
When the first vaccines were rolled out, they were seen as a way out of lockdown and vital for saving lives. But some experts believe the advantages of a booster have been less clearly explained.
Pharmacists in Manchester told the BBC they had capacity for ‘600 or 700’ jabs a day but only 100 takers. However, surveys show that 82 per cent of us would take an extra shot if offered. And many of those eligible have not yet been invited to book a jab.
Are the public confused about how
