Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what representations he has received on expediting covid-19 vaccinations for the members of households of patients suffering from blood cancer.

The Department has received representations from Blood Cancer UK on expediting COVID-19 vaccination for the members of households of patients suffering from blood cancer. Those with a blood cancer and undergoing treatment are prioritised in phase one of the COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme in priority group four as clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV). Adult members of a household that includes someone who is CEV are prioritised for vaccination according to their own age and clinical risk. They are not prioritised on the basis of sharing a household with someone who is CEV.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has to date concluded there is not sufficient evidence for prioritisation of household members of those who are CEV. The JCVI continues to look at the emerging evidence on COVID-19 and offers further advice if and when evidence is found that vaccinating a particular group, including household members of individuals most at risk from COVID-19, would further reduce overall mortality, morbidity and hospitalisation.