The Government have abandoned any attempt at controlling Covid in the UK. That’s the only conclusion that can be drawn from their recent announcements about Covid vaccination and boosters.
In background documents1 slipped out on 7th March during the high profile debate about asylum seekers, the Government have made some extraordinary statements and decisions:
- Covid cannot be eliminated, and the population’s immunity to Covid is expected to reduce.
- Because vaccines cannot stop the spread of Covid, or prevent non-severe illness, the Government have decided to abandon all future Covid vaccinations for the general public. Only those over 50 or clinically vulnerable groups will be offered primary vaccination in the future, and only at certain times.
- Only people at the very highest clinical risk from Covid will be boosted in the future – not to protect their health, but to reduce demand on the NHS. Although this has not yet been confirmed, it appears that only over 75s, care home residents, and severely immunosuppressed people will be eligible for the Spring 2023 booster.
- Catching Covid in hospital, when you are there for another reason, is almost inevitable and cannot be prevented by vaccination.
Taken together, these decisions amount to the Government abandoning the people of the UK to a cycle of repeated Covid infections and illnesses.
The document does not mention the serious consequences of a Covid infection, even if the initial illness is ‘mild’, and does not mention Long Covid – a long term disabling condition now affecting over a million people. Both the World Health Organisation (WHO)2 and the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)3 confirmed months ago that these post-Covid conditions are a real risk. Neither does the document mention that recent research4 shows that vaccinated people (2 doses) are 41% less likely to report having Long Covid – this is also recognised by other countries and the WHO.
It is extremely worrying that the Government have ignored the risks of post-Covid conditions and Long Covid in deciding to end Covid vaccination for most people.
It is also extraordinary that the Government have completely ignored any other protection from Covid other than vaccines. It is accepted all over the world that filter masks and better air quality standards in public buildings significantly reduce the spread of Covid. These precautions, alongside vaccinations, offer a sensible and practical way to control Covid infections.
BuDS calls on the JCVI and Government to carry out a proper assessment of the benefit of Covid vaccination taking into account all the risks – i.e. both the risk of severe Covid illness and the risk of post-Covid conditions. The enormous economic and wellbeing impact of an endless cycle of repeated Covid infections and illnesses also needs to be considered.
BuDS also calls on the Government to abandon its ideological opposition to all Covid precautions, and to produce a national action plan to control Covid.
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References
[1]Government Green Book, Chapter 14a, COVID-19 – SARS-CoV-2, 7 March 2023 https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1140811/Greenbook-chapter-14a-7March2023.pdf
[2] Statement on 30/01/23 – Statement on the fourteenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic (who.int)
[3] Updated December 2022 – Long COVID or Post-COVID Conditions | CDC
[4] ONS research, Self-reported long COVID after two doses of a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in the UK – Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)