Recommendation 22

The next stage for the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme is to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds. NHS England told us it recognised that this would probably be a slower and more challenging rollout given the adaptations necessary to accommodate 42 Public Accounts Committee, Oral evidence: Covid-19: Planning for a vaccine, HC 930, 11 January 2021, Qq 28, 66 43 C&AG’s Report, paras 1.10, 2.3 44 Since the session a sixth vaccine, the Valneva COVID-19 vaccine, received approval by MHRA on 14 April 2022 45 C&AG’s Report, paras 4, 2.7, Figure 7 46 Qq 60–61 47 Qq 59–64 48 Qq 26, 59 49 Qq 60, 62 50 Valneva COVID-19 vaccine approved by MHRA on 14 April 2022 51 Public Accounts Committee, Oral evidence: Covid-19: Planning for a vaccine, HC 930, 11 January 2021, Qq 28, 32 The rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine programme in England 15 small children and their parents at vaccination sites. Demand for vaccines would depend on parents making decisions on behalf of children. Sites would need to be prepared to vaccinate uncertain numbers throughout the spring.52 Looking ahead to later in the year, we heard from UKHSA that, while the UK would likely continue to need 6- or 12-month COVID-19 booster campaigns for at-risk groups, there was still much uncertainty.53 Officials did not seem to think that further whole-population booster campaigns were likely in the immediate future.54