Recommendation 16

NHSE&I is planning its deployment of vaccines in the face of high levels of uncertainty because information about the COVID-19 vaccines is still changing. It needs to keep its plans under review to ensure it can respond to the latest information about which vaccines have been approved, which groups in society need to be vaccinated, how many doses will be available, and when and how those vaccines will need to be deployed. The NAO found that it remained uncertain whether the vaccination programme would need to take place more regularly, for example becoming an annual programme.42 We asked Departments whether they now thought than an annual vaccination programme would be needed. BEIS confirmed that it was considering this, but that it was not an urgent or critical question at present as it had “plenty of doses to be getting on with, not only for this year, but likely for next year as well”.43 It explained that while it had needed to work at speed for the current programme, it expected to be able to take time to “survey the field” and plan for any future annual vaccination programme.44 In response to our questions about when these decision would need to be made, BEIS told us “not for a while”.45 The Department explained that plans for the vaccination programme in future will also depend on how the virus develops and any new variants, and it would respond as information became available.46 38 Q 17–18, Department of Health and Social Care, UK COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan, 13 January 2021 39 Qq 5, 19, Department of Health and Social Care, UK COVID-19 vaccines delivery plan, 13 January 2021 40 Qq 3, 8, 18 41 Qq 3–4, 6, 16, 22 42 Q 37, C&AG’s Report, para 5, 28, 4.13–14 43 Q 33 44 Qq 33, 36 45 Qq 35–36 46 Qq 37–38 COVID-19: Planning for a vaccine Part 1 15