Wednesday 30th December 2020

(3 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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We will vaccinate according to clinical need, because that is the best way both to protect lives and to be able to lift the restrictions.

Daisy Cooper Portrait Daisy Cooper (St Albans) (LD) [V]
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Even once vaccinated, some older and clinically vulnerable people will have no one to look after them if their unpaid carers get ill with coronavirus. Vaccinating unpaid carers would be a clear way of reducing pressure on the NHS and social care, with the double benefit of protecting carers and providing the care that the NHS and social care system would then not need to provide. So will the Secretary of State give an unequivocal commitment that unpaid carers will be included in priority categories for vaccination?

Matt Hancock Portrait Matt Hancock
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As I have said, we will absolutely vaccinate according to clinical need. Once we are through those clinical need cohorts, there is a very important call on the next set of prioritisations, which we have not yet set out, and both teachers and unpaid carers have a good case to make.