Eligibility for the 2025 winter COVID-19 programme decision: FOI release

Information requested

Who made the decision to change the eligibility for the 2025 winter COVID-19 programme?

Response

The Scottish Government’s decision-making throughout all COVID-19 vaccination programmes has been guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI is an independent expert advisory committee that advises government health departments in the four UK nations on immunisations and the prevention of infectious disease. The JCVI has the responsibility to provide high quality and considered advice and recommendations to the 4 nations Health Ministers following thorough risk and benefit analysis. They consider vaccine safety, efficacy and look at the impact and cost effectiveness of immunisation strategies. The Scottish Government rely on the JCVI for clinical recommendations for vaccination.

For more information on the JCVI please visit: Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

On 14 November 2024 the Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation (JCVI) issued advice regarding a COVID-19 winter 2025 programme and based on that advice a COVID-19 vaccine is being offered to:

• Residents in care homes for older adults
• All adults aged 75 years and over
• Individuals aged 6 months and over who are immunosuppressed (as defined in the ‘immunosuppression’ sections of tables 3 or 4 in the COVID-19 chapter of the Green Book).

Diabetes and chronic kidney disease do appear in tables 3 and 4 of the COVID-19 Green Book Chapter as clinical at risk groups, however they do not fall under the immunosuppression subsection.

I can confirm that the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health accepted advice regarding winter 2025 COVID-19 vaccine eligibility on 19 November 2024.

Link to JCVI minutes of 02 October 2024: Minute 2024 10.pdf | Powered by Box

Link to JCVI statement (updated 14 November 2024): JCVI statement on COVID-19 vaccination in 2025 and spring 2026 - GOV.UK

UK Government confirmation of winter 2025 eligibility (26 June 2025): Advice accepted on autumn 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme - GOV.UK

We understand that the groups who were previously eligible for a winter COVID-19 vaccine, namely those aged 65-74, those in wider clinical at risk groups and frontline health and social care workers, who are no longer eligible, may be feeling anxious about their removal. I’d like to draw your attention to a helpful blog written by a Public Health Scotland clinician which further explains the eligibility changes for the COVID-19 vaccine over time: COVID-19 vaccine eligibility: changes over time - Our blog - Public Health Scotland

About FOI

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