When will people over 60 get the Covid vaccine?
22 February 2021, 12:36 | Updated: 22 February 2021, 12:54
The Covid vaccine priority list is currently being ticked off across the UK, but when will people aged 60 and over be getting their jabs?
Amid the rapid rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, the Government achieved its target of offering everyone in the first four priority groups a first dose by mid-February.
Over the weekend, Health Secretary Matt Hancock confirmed one in three adults in the UK has now had an initial jab.
A total of 17,582,121 people in the UK have received a first dose, according to Government figures published on February 21. This is the equivalent of 26.3% of the total UK population, and 33.4% of people aged 18 and over.
READ MORE: Online Covid vaccine calculator estimates how soon you're likely to get the coronavirus jab
As the rollout continues, we look at when people aged over 60 will get the Covid vaccine. And what are the priority groups for the immunisation?
When will over 60s get their jab?
Priority groups 5-9 are currently being worked through, with the Government aiming to offer the vaccine to all people in these categories by April 15.
Those aged over 60 should therefore be offered their first dose in the coming weeks.
People aged 65 and over are also currently being offered the vaccine.
What are the priority groups?
The priority list set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is:
1. care home residents and their carers
2. people over the age of 80 and frontline health and social care workers
3. people over the age of 75
4. people over the age of 70 and those deemed to be "clinically extremely vulnerable"
EXPLAINED: Covid-19 vaccine: Who counts as clinically vulnerable?
5. people over the age of 65
6. people aged 16 to 64 with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and death.
7. people over the age of 60
8. people over the age of 55
Covid Vaccine: Your questions answered
What about other adults and keyworkers?
The Government has said it is confident it has the supplies to vaccinate all UK adults by July 31.
EXPLAINED: Will children get a Covid-19 vaccine?
However the JCVI has not yet set out plans on who should be vaccinated when beyond the top nine priority groups.
It is unknown whether keyworkers will be offered the jab as a priority.
The JCVI is currently discussing what the future plans should look like and expects to set out these recommendations by the end of the month.
Covid Vaccine: Your Questions Answered 2
Can you mix with other people once you’ve had your jab?
Not yet. It is not yet fully clear how effective the vaccines are at preventing transmission of the virus. Questions have also been raised about how protective they are against new variants.
It also takes time for the body to build up immunity after the jab - people are not protected straight away. And it is important to get the second jab to get the full protection offered by the vaccine.
What should I do if I think I’ve been missed?
Earlier this month the NHS changed messaging from 'wait until we contact you' to 'contact us' to ask people to book their jab.
Over-65s can now book here or do so by calling 119.
