Didn't we have enough vaccinnes for the whole population?

[Lelophants]

If so, why is there no plan to roll it out to everyone? I know a number of people in their 30s who are ok but were still very sick with covid and a mixture of long covid symptoms. Ideally we vaccinate everyone. Why is this not a plan or is it more of a 'let's get to that in time' sort of thing?

I’m sure we can lay our hands on as many as we need to vaccinate everyone, it’s having enough people able to administer the shot. That’s why they’re prioritising the most vulnerable (most statistically likely to end up in hospital putting pressure on the NHS) and working down.

Thanks that's interesting. I've spoken to those who I know work in the medical field and they said there are no current plans to vaccinate anyone after the last band, which worried me.

@Lelophants

If so, why is there no plan to roll it out to everyone? I know a number of people in their 30s who are ok but were still very sick with covid and a mixture of long covid symptoms. Ideally we vaccinate everyone. Why is this not a plan or is it more of a 'let's get to that in time' sort of thing?

There is. Everyone who is over the age of 18 by the autumn.

Announced early this morning.

We did

www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-secures-additional-2-million-doses-of-moderna-covid-19-vaccine

147 million doses of the three that have already been approved. And millions of doses were made even before approval, so we began swiftly.

The limiting factor now is rate of manufacture and quality control. And of associated items such as glass vials. Plus of course the manufacturers' need to fulfill all orders - including playing nicely with Covax (the mechanism to ensure at least some fairness in global access to vaccines rather than the rich using it all up)

Phase 1 - the vulnerable (elderly and underlying medical conditions (any age)) will cover about 25 million people (nearly half the adult population of the UK)

Phase 2 - all other adults is in planning (certain occupational groups may be prioritised in thus phase)

The situation about those getting seriously ill is changing, and certainly has changed vastly since they drew up the priority lists (the new variant didn't exist then).

In UCH critical care department, half of patients are not in the priority lists so would not have been vaccinated under current plans. But they are ill enough to require critical care. Half of them, according to Prof. Jeremy Brown, a consultant there (and member of JCVI, so seemed to be alluding to the fact that the priority list should be reviewed but was unable to given an opinion due to his position and the fact that it has not been discussed by the JCVI).

You do realise that the rest of the world have placed orders too. It’s not all about the UK - other countries need to vaccinate too.