‘End waits after jab’ to speed up the roll-out
PM URGED TO DROP 15-MINUTE POLICY WHERE SAFE TO DO SO
THE Prime Minister is being urged to drop the 15-minute wait for those who have just received their coronavirus vaccine, to speed up the roll-out of the boosters.
People are sometimes asked to wait for 15 minutes after they have had their jab, in case they have a bad reaction to the injection.
At places where many people are getting their vaccination, this can mean they have to sit and wait in the same chair where they have had the jab, meaning it cannot be taken up by another person.
Bosworth MP Luke Evans, pictured, asked for a review of the waiting time policy in a question at the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions.
He said to Boris Johnson: “We know booster vaccines are essential in our fight against Covid.
“Speaking to clinical colleagues, one of the biggest hindrances is the 15 minutes people have to wait post-Pfizer.
“If we could reduce that, or take that away, it could release thousands of hours of clinicians time.
“So will the Prime Minister ask the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to look to see if it is safe to do so, particularly for those people receiving their third Pfizer booster?”
Mr Johnson said the government was in the process of reviewing the 15-minute wait.
The NHS website says a coronavirus vaccination appointment should last for 30 to 45 minutes.
Attendees are asked some questions about their medical history and if they have allergies.
The website states: “You may be asked to wait for 15 minutes after having the vaccination. This is in the unlikely event you have a serious reaction to the vaccine.”
Dr Evans said: “The booster roll-out is going to be particularly important in ensuring we have a safe festive season, so it’s vital we look at all options for speeding this process up.
“If the data shows that it is safe to do so, dropping the 15-minute wait, especially for those who have safely had two Pfizer jabs with minimal side-effects, would allow those sites administering the vaccine to increase their capacity, save NHS time and, most importantly, get more people jabbed ahead of Christmas.
“I am pleased that the Department of Health, and now the Prime Minister, have started a review of the data and will be eagerly following this up with the hope of a response that will be welcomed by clinicians, vaccinators and the public alike.”