Today, Sajid Javid said he would be ‘personally managing’ the country’s accelerated Covid booster jab program. He also left Maggie Throup as Vaccines Minister.
According to the Health Secretary, he will take charge of this rollout and ensure it succeeds.
While Mr Javid claimed that Ms. Throup was ‘doing a really significant job’, it’s likely that questions will be raised over her choice to lead the initiative.
Sajid Javid, Maggie Throup’s Vaccines Minister, today stated that he’ll be “personally managing” the nation’s Covid booster jab programmes.
While Mr Javid claimed that Ms. Throup was ‘doing a really significant job,’ his decision to take the initiative personally is sure to raise questions about her position.
Under a new government target, every adult will receive a Covid booster shot by the end the year. Pictured are people queuing up at London’s vaccine centre this morning
Boris Johnson said last night that his goal was to give a jab at every adult before the end January, by one month.
The Prime Minister stated that there was a ‘tidal waves of Omicrons coming’, and called for the nation to “immediately strengthen our vaccine defense wall”.
A rollout of approximately one million jabs daily will be required to meet the deadline that everyone 18 and over must jab by the December 31, 2012.
This is an increase in the number of people who can be reached, and it raises serious questions about how the government will address logistical issues to reach the deadline.
Nadhim Zhawi (Mr. Throup’s grandfather as vaccines minister), was a Cabinet member and in charge of jab rollout.
After Mr Zahawi’s promotion to Education Secretary, Ms Throup assumed the role of Education Secretary at the reshuffle. However, she doesn’t attend Cabinet.
This morning, Mr Javid was quizzed about who oversees the accelerated booster program.
During an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Today, he was told that Mr Zahawi previously managed the rollout.
“Maggie Throup” was the Vaccines Minister, replied Health Secretary. She is doing a really important job.’
Pressed on if Ms Throup is in charge of the rollout, Mr Javid said: ‘I am personally running this programme.
‘It is the step up that we need, the focus we need, the cooperation that we are getting from Cabinet colleagues and other government bodies.’
NHS data shows that many people over 40 who were eligible for a Covid booster in September are still at double the rate of those who cannot get another dose. Yesterday the NHS Online Booking System for Covid Boosters was made available to over-40s. 81% of those aged between 40 and 49 have not yet received a booster.
The graph below shows Britain’s daily vaccinations. The graph shows an inability to roll out vaccines between September and Oct, which the opposition party today called a missed chance for Britain. Shadow health secretary and former Conservative ministers have asked why not more was done in September to spread the jabs.
Asked if he will personally address any problems with the rollout, he replied: ‘Absolutely and this is what we have been working on now for a few days since we learnt about the vaccines, about the need now more than ever for that booster dose.
‘And by the way, our booster programme is already the most successful in Europe, over 40 per cent of adults already boosted, that is 23million jabs.
‘But we now need to do a lot, lot more and we need people to come forward.’