COVID-19 Policy Descends Into Shambles As No 10 Changes Line On Vaccine Plan Twice In Minutes

Health   |   Uncategorized   |   February 5, 2021

MIRROR Online: LONDON, England – Government plans for COVID-19 vaccinations have descended into chaos after Number 10 scrapped then reinstated plans within a matter of minutes.

Yesterday, Number 10 said the aim was to give jabs to all vulnerable groups by “spring” – but refused to be more specific.
But this morning the Cabinet Office revealed the aim was to vaccinate all over 50s by the beginning of May, in order to ensure local elections can go ahead safely on May 6.

And in a farcical exchange during a Downing Street press briefing this morning, the Prime Minister’s deputy spokesman refused to be more specific than “spring” – and said the Cabinet Office release had been released “in error” and had been withdrawn.

Yet minutes later, after journalists noted the document had not, in fact, been withdrawn -the spokesman reversed his answer – saying the Cabinet Office release was not released in error after all.

And despite admitting the Cabinet Office release was correct, he refused to confirm on the record that the deadline was now May, rather than the end of Spring.

It was revealed as part of the plan to press ahead with local elections, to take place on May 6 2021.

The document reads: “Our public health response – not least the vaccination programme, which we plan will have reached all nine priority cohorts by May – means that we can commit to go ahead with these polls with confidence.”

The plan was one thing, then it was another, then it was “in error”, then it wasn’t – Image: PA
Apparently it *is* the aim to get all over 50s vaccinated by May – Image: PA

Vaccine priority (Phase 1)

  1. Residents in a care home for older adults and their carers
  2. All those 80 years of age and over and frontline health and social care workers
  3. All those 75 years of age and over
  4. All those 70 years of age and over and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals
  5. All those 65 years of age and over
  6. All individuals aged 16 years to 64 years with underlying health conditions which put them at higher risk of serious disease and mortality
  7. All those 60 years of age and over
  8. All those 55 years of age and over
  9. All those 50 years of age and over.

Elsewhere in the shambolic briefing, the PM’s deputy spokesman insisted there were no plans to introduce “vaccine passports” to allow vaccinated Brits to travel overseas, despite reports this morning that the government had discussed such a measure with the Greek government.

A Number 10 source said the spokesman was “simply mistaken”, and that government policy was “as stated in the release.”