UK’s Covid vaccine programme must rebuild trust before next pandemic strikes, inquiry warns

Heather Hallett hails vaccine scheme but criticises rule that only those meeting 60% disabled threshold can get payouts

The UK’s Covid vaccination programme was “an extraordinary feat” which developed and delivered protective jabs in record time, but work is now needed to rebuild trust in vaccines and ensure better access before the next pandemic, an official inquiry has found.

Heather Hallett, the chair of the statutory inquiry into the pandemic, said the vaccine rollout and the identification of an inexpensive steroid that saved the lives of thousands of UK patients, were “two of the success stories” of the pandemic.

Establishing a pharmaceutical expert advisory panel to oversee the UK’s preparedness to develop, procure and manufacture vaccines and therapeutics.

Producing targeted vaccination strategies and communications to increase vaccine uptake and reduce inequalities.

Improving monitoring and evaluation of vaccine uptake and delivery to ensure efforts to boost uptake are effective.

Helping regulatory bodies to access healthcare records for ongoing safety monitoring of new vaccines and therapeutics, and

Assessing the vaccine damage payment scheme as soon as possible.

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