Why the delay in England to vaccinate 18 - 30 year olds

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Wales, Northern Ireland and now Scotland are inviting all over 18s for vaccination. In England we have this tedious system of moving down from 40 to 18 in two year blocks. So I guess 28-30 will be invited next, and then X days later it will be 26-28 year olds. Is this logistically the best way to maximise filling slots, or do we have more of a shortage of vaccines so they are managing it in this way to drag out the process without that being evident?

They only get around 900K doses of Pfizer a week, and a trickle of Moderna. I’m actually concerned they’re going a bit fast and won’t have second doses available in time. I hope they’re not taking big risks.

I am really pleased that Wales is doing so well at getting the vaccine out. All of my extended family have had their first vaccine now - six of them aged 18 - 25. I have my second jab tomorrow - I'm 50.

I will feel happier when my family in England have theirs. They are still waiting to get their fist jab.

@nether Definitely chase this up this week. My DC who were put in group 6 as I am CEV were done last week of April. I spoke to our practice manager. They had to do a special order from NHS England of extra Pfizer doses that came in smaller sizes - baby packs.

I kept ringing until they organised it. The JCVI recommended it so the GP should have sorted it out for you.

There's no point inviting x amount of people to book if they only have y amount of appointments, all that means is that older people might miss out to 18 year olds in getting booked in. It's moving quickly, won't be long.

I know lots of people in age range 35-38
Who can’t book a vaccine! Just none available. Maybe because they can’t have the Az

Our area of Wales is only inviting over 28s to register for the short notice emergency list where you need to be able to get to a vaccination centre within 1 hour if them phoning you.
I have 3 uni students all aged between 22 and 18 at uni in Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham. I'm desperate for them to get thier first vaccine but none have been called or have access yet due to thier age.
We also have the dilemma that they are due home for the Sumnmer as thier leases expire, in the next weeks and won't get called at all as NHS England and Wales don't tie up. Not seen ANY offucial direction re this and imagine it will affect many students that live and study across the 4 different UK nations.

*over 18s not 28s!!

They only get around 900K doses of Pfizer a week, and a trickle of Moderna.

It is 950k of Pfizer and 150k of Moderna. They have also got a stockpile of Pfizer built in March-April that they are now running down.

With the current supply, we will have enough mRNA vaccine to offer the first dose to everyone over 18 by the end of June (rather than July). Wales may finish 2 weeks earlier - by June 14.