The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised the Government and the NHS to invite more people with learning difficulties to receive Covid-19 vaccines.
Those with severe learning disabilities are already included in priority group six, while adults with less severe conditions are not prioritised but the JCVI said the health service should now invite all those on the GP Learning Disability Register after analysis found they were at higher risk of death and serious illness.
PHE said the move will mean at least 150,000 more people with learning disabilities will be offered the vaccine more quickly.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Covid-19 chairman for the JCVI, said: “The JCVI’s advice on Covid-19 vaccine prioritisation was developed with the aim of preventing as many deaths as possible. People who are severely affected by learning disabilities are at higher risk of death from Covid-19.
“As the severity of any disability may not be well recorded in GP systems, JCVI supports the NHS operational plan for anyone on the GP Learning Disability Register to be invited now for vaccination as part of priority group six, and to reach out in the community to identify others also severely affected by a learning disability but who may not yet be registered.”
