LONDON
The UK government unveiled the second phase of its coronavirus vaccination program on Friday which will target the next priority group.
However, teachers and police will not be the main body despite locking down.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Vaccination (JCVI) has announced that those aged 40 – 49 will be next in line for the vaccine.
He said allowing an age-based approach would lead to better results in the short term.
“After groups 1 to 9 in Stage 1, people aged 40 to 49 are most at risk in hospital, with the risk decreasing you at a younger age.” according to JCVI, which said evidence shows that an age – based approach is the most effective way to reduce disease and death.
“For Phase 2, modeling studies also show that the pace of vaccine use is key to maximizing public health benefits versus real outcomes.” the government agency said.
After the second priority group, those aged 30 – 39 and 18 – 29 will be included.
Phase 2 will begin when all groups of people in Phase 1 have been vaccinated, including the most vulnerable and people over 50.
In response to criticism about why teachers and police officers should not be listed as a priority group, the JCVI said targeting career groups would be “more complex to deliver and could reduce the vaccination program” which would make more vulnerable there is a higher risk of being left out.
The committee also outlined other groups at risk of hospitalization from the virus, including men, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, those with a BMI over 30 and those living in poor neighborhoods.
On Friday, 8,523 people tested positive for COVID-19 and between February 20 and 26, 67,816 people tested positive – a decrease of 16.8% on the past seven days.
345 deaths were reported in 28 days of positive confirmation for the virus Thursday.
The death toll between February 20 and 26 is 2,496 – a decrease of 31.3% on the previous week.
By the end of February 25, 19,177,555 people had given the first dose of the vaccine with 736,037 receiving the second. Vaccines are currently administered in two doses 21 days apart.
The latest R range stands at 0.6-0.9, with the current growth rate at -6% to -3% per day.
The R number is a device used to spread the ability of the virus, with R being the number of people transmitting one infected person.
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