Four in 10 over-80s ‘break the rules after virus jab’

MORE THAN four in 10 over-80s who received a coronavirus vaccine during the current lockdown appear to have since broken the rules by meeting up with someone indoors, figures suggest.

Some 43 per cent of elderly people surveyed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said they had met someone other than a personal care support worker, member of their household or support bubble indoors since being vaccinated.

And 41 per cent of over-80s vaccinated in the previous three weeks said they had done so, “appearing to break lockdown regulations”, according to the ONS.

Under rules introduced in England at the start of January, family or friends cannot meet socially indoors unless they are in the same household or support bubble.

The ONS said a large proportion of over-80s will have been vaccinated after the latest lockdown was imposed and therefore “would have been breaking lockdown regulations by meeting these groups socially”.

Downing Street said it is important people continue to follow the rules. Asked if the elderly are behaving irresponsibly, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We are asking everybody to continue to follow the rules and guidelines.”

The ONS Over 80s Vaccines Insights study ran from February 15 to 20, by which point the Government said it had offered the jab to everyone in the top four priority groups, which includes the over80s.

Some 99.8 per cent of respondents said they had been offered a jab, and 78 per cent had received their first dose more than three weeks ago. Overall, 48 per cent of over-80s who had received both vaccine doses had since met up with someone indoors who was not in their household, support bubble or a care worker.

Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said she hopes older people’s confidence in the vaccine will help them feel able to engage with society when safe.

She said it was not a surprise that some over-80s may not have “abided by the letter of the lockdown guidance”, because many families will have felt the need to pop in to help them.