It comes after it was revealed more than 15 million people in Britain have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to Government figures.
Third phase of the mass coronavirus vaccine rollout will target people by ethnicity as well as age, it has been reported.
But the next stage after over-50s have the jab will not reportedly prioritise people based on jobs as doing so would be “too complicated”.
It comes after it was revealed more than 15 million people in Britain have now had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, according to Government figures.
The rollout has now moved to people aged over 65, with all over50s to be vaccinated by the end of April. And the NHS is reportedly looking to double the vaccine rollout, meaning daily doses could hit one million.
Vaccinating the most vulnerable is key to the Government’s lockdown exit strategy for England.
Schools in England are expected to begin reopening from March 8, with other measures to be lifted after that.
No decision has been taken who should be prioritised for vaccines after the over-50s.
So far age and health problems have been determining factors, but there have been calls for those in frontline jobs such as teaching, the police and supermarkets to be prioritised.
However, the Daily Telegraph reports that for the third phase of the inoculation programme people will be offered the jabs not based on their jobs, but their age and ethnicity.
The joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI), which meets on Tuesday, is reportedly set to recommend the continuation of an age-based approach when the programme moves on from jabs for the most vulnerable adults.
Sources on the committee said prioritising certain types of worker, like teachers, would “create too much complication” and “risk slowing the rollout down”.
A source told the paper: “One of the main factors behind the success of the rollout so far has been the simplicity of the prioritisation rules because it has been based largely on age.
“Once you make things more complicated, you run the risk of slowing things down.
“You create more telephone calls for surgeries to make, while people are bashing on the door demanding a vaccine because they think it’s their turn.”
But the committee will reportedly urge ministers to take into account the higher mortality risk seen in some ethnic minority communities.
The paper claimed that a source had said committee members were said to be “particularly concerned” about the death rates from people from South Asian background.
Ministers have not yet set out how the vaccine will be divvied out among the remaining population.
The move would come as a blow to those campaigning for certain professions to be put at the front of the queue for the jab against Covid.
Calls to ensure teachers get the vaccine before other types of workers have grown in recent weeks.
Labour called on ministers to give the jab to teachers during February half-term so they are inoculated before face-to-face lessons restart.
Meanwhile, the largest vaccination campaign in British history is now moving on to the next priority groups.
NHS England said people aged 65 to 69 can get a vaccine if GPs have supplies, while Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said they had already begun contacting some over 50s.
Overall, uptake of the vaccine has been high, with the Department of Health and Social Care reporting a 93 per cent take-up rate among the over 75s in England.
NHS England previously said the top four priority groups in England “have now been offered the opportunity to be vaccinated”, while Wales said those groups had been reached.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she expects many in the 65-69 age group to have had their first jab by the middle of this month after the vast majority of older people were vaccinated.
(Story source: Silver Surfers)
