Lord Bethell

The Government understands the scale of the challenge presented by long COVID, which is also felt on employment and the economy.

NHS England established over 100 long COVID services for adults, and for children and young people. These assess people with long COVID and direct them into appropriate care pathways which provide appropriate support and treatment.

The Government has also invested over £57 million into long COVID research. The projects aim to improve our understanding of the diagnosis and underlying mechanisms of the disease and the effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies and interventions, and to evaluate clinical care.

The Department regularly reviews evidence on the health and economic impact of diseases and conditions. Where appropriate, this evidence is used to produce impact assessments which inform the development of new policies to address the needs of the population.

As per the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) code of practice, committee minutes are published within six weeks of the meeting, via its webpage. These minutes outline the information presented to members and summarise the considerations and discussion. The JCVI also publishes advice statements on the GOV.UK website, and these statements outline the advice given and the rationale.

Where possible, data considered by the committee is referenced in minutes and statements. On occasion, data reviewed by the committee may remain unpublished when the minutes are released. This could be due to the data being new, sensitive, or subject to confidentiality. For transparency and public interest, the JCVI encourages all researchers who present to the committee to publish data once appropriate.

As an independent Departmental Expert Committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises the Department on matters related to vaccination and immunisation. The JCVI bases its advice and recommendations on evidence of the burden of disease, of vaccine safety and efficacy, and of the impact and cost effectiveness of immunisation strategies.

Broader socio-economic factors, such as productivity costs from illness, improved educational attainment from reduced school absences, and out-of-pocket expenses and opportunity costs from attending a vaccination, are not included in the cost-effective analysis which is presented to the JCVI for its consideration. However, these impacts may be highlighted by the JCVI to inform policy-making.

Vaccination plays an important role in the Government’s Plan for Change and Health Mission, including in the shift from sickness to prevention. The Department works closely with the UK Health Security Agency and NHS England, with expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, to design, implement, and deliver 17 programmes offering high levels of long-term protection. These include seasonal and routine programmes as set out in the national schedule.

Our vaccination and immunisation programmes therefore support multiple public health objectives, including contributing to efforts to eliminate or eradicate disease, prevent outbreaks of infectious disease, reduce the burden of ill-health, and to reduce health inequalities, for example by ensuring that targeted outreach can offer vaccinations to underserved populations.

Vaccination plays an important role in the Government’s Plan for Change and the Health Mission, including in the shift from sickness to prevention. The Government continues to be guided by the independent Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on the approach to vaccination and immunisation.

The primary aim of the national COVID-19 vaccination programme remains the prevention of severe illness, namely hospitalisations and deaths, arising from COVID-19. On 13 November 2024, the JCVI published advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for spring 2025, autumn 2025 and spring 2026. This advice is available on the GOV.UK website, in an online-only format.

On 12 December 2024, the Government accepted the JCVI advice that a COVID-19 vaccine should be offered in spring 2025 to adults aged 75 years old and over, residents in a care home for older adults, and the immunosuppressed aged six months and over. Eligibility for the spring 2025 campaign is the same as in previous spring campaigns.

The JCVI also advised on eligibility for autumn 2025 and spring 2026 programmes. The Government is considering this advice carefully and will respond in due course.

HM Treasury has a comprehensive framework for assessing and managing potential risks to the economic and fiscal outlook, including those posed by new diseases. This framework involves systematic monitoring through internal risk monitors, risk governance forums, and collaboration with other government departments such as the Cabinet Office and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). In escalatory scenarios, such as where a new disease with high transmission rates emerges, HM Treasury is prepared to conduct economic impact assessments to inform policy and response plans.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, HM Treasury officials engaged with other Government departments to consider the implications of long COVID, including assisting with preparations for the DHSC long COVID Oversight Board. HM Treasury will provide more information on its efforts to understand the economic implications of long COVID-19 to the ongoing COVID-19 inquiry.