‘My clinically vulnerable son should be higher on vaccine list’

THE CLINICALLY extremely vulnerable should be higher on the priority list, said a Wokingham mother.

Lynn Antink believes her son, who suffers from a hormone deficiency disorder, should be vaccinated at the same time as the elderly population.

Colin Antink, 28, has Addison's disease, and is included in the Government’s list of clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.

He, and his Mum, have been shielding themselves from contact, but fear that is not enough to prevent a covid-related death.

According to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, Mr Antink is included in the fourth category to be vaccinated, after care home residents and staff, and those over 80 and 75.

The fourth category is for the over 70s and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals.

This is not enough, Ms Antink said.

“I can’t see why he’s at the bottom, after the elderly,” she said. “They should be at the same time. A lot of them are a lot fitter than he’ll ever be. He could die just as quickly.”

Cllr Charles Margetts, health executive at the borough council, said the order for immunisations was decided nationally, with the intention to reduce mortality.

“The groups that are at the top, are those that are most at risk of death from Covid,” he said. “I do understand people’s frustrations. However, the issue aboutwho gets it first would slip away if the supply was stepped up.”

He said in the borough, roughly 90% of the over 80s have had a jab, along with 90% of care home residents and 55% of the 75s to 80s.

“We are just about to start vaccinating the clinically extremely vulnerable,” he said. “Central Government has a policy to make it happen roughly simultaneously.

“Some of the primary care networks have progressed further than others, and the Government is trying to equalise that.”

This, he said, meant the borough received fewer doses lastweek, than the week before — in order to even out progress across the country.

After group four has been given the jab, the next eligible group is the over 65s, followed by anyone aged 16 to 64 with an underlying health condition.

After this, the over 60s, over 55s and over 50s will be eligible consecutively.

As part of the plan to speed up vaccinations, the borough council is soon to open a mass vaccination centre in the borough. This may be able to give 750 people a jab per day.