Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide an update on his plans to conduct research into the efficacy of a third covid-19 vaccine booster dose for immunocompromised and immunosuppressed groups.

The COV-BOOST study was commissioned through the National Institute for Health Research and will provide vital data on the impact of a third dose on patients’ immune responses. Initial findings are expected in September. To fully understand how COVID-19 vaccines respond as a booster dose they must first be studied in people with a fully functioning immune system.

UK Research and Innovation is providing £4 million towards the OCTAVE study examining COVID-19 vaccine responses in clinically at-risk groups, including immunocompromised patients.