The NHS bowed to growing medical anger yesterday and promised vaccination for frontline staff following the approval of a second COVID-19 vaccine.

News of the second vaccine led to practices stepping up preparations for mass programmes – as the UK developed vaccine can be refrigerated at normal temperatures.

A letter from NHS England admitted that frontline staff had been forced, until now, to apply for left over vaccines from appointments that were refused. The change of policy was one of several measures following regulatory approval of the Oxford/AstraZeneca adenovirus-based vaccine.

Government advisers on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation also stated that booster doses could be delayed for up to 12 weeks – a measure aimed at significantly increasing the number of people on the programme. The advice was backed by the UK’s chief medical officers and immediately put into action. Only patients already booked will get a booster dose at three weeks.

The JCVI also amended its advice on women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, advising that those at high risk should be vaccinated. NHS England, in a letter signed by medical director Professor Stephen Powis and chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, said that vaccination “can now immediately” be expanded to frontline health and social care workers.

Sir Simon later said that staff priority would be based on risk assessments. Health secretary Matt Hancock said the government would “be able to accelerate” the vaccination of NHS staff.

In Wales, doctors called for a similar change of policy. The Welsh government said yesterday that care homes and primary care programmes were its priority. British Medical Association Welsh chair Dr David Bailey said: “Despite calling for the publication of health board plans and improved communication to staff on the ground, we’re still hearing of doctors and other healthcare professionals struggling to access vaccinations in some parts of Wales and a complete lack of transparency around delivery. This cannot continue.
You can’t run a health service without staff and with many isolating or actually having the virus themselves, we’re in danger of a collapse. The situation is dire. Staff who are working are at absolute breaking point, both physically and mentally, and it’s difficult to see how this situation can continue.”

Royal College of GPs chair Professor Martin Marshall said: “This gives us another vital tool with which to protect patients against COVID-19 – and it will be a game changer for the roll out of the vaccination programme in primary care. It is the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel that we desperately need to get us through this difficult winter and ultimately overcome the virus.”

He added: “This vaccine will overcome many of those challenges as it is much more like other vaccines already delivered in general practice, making it easier for GPs, our teams, and other primary care professionals to store it appropriately, and ultimately vaccinate a greater number of patients, at a faster pace in the community. GPs and our teams have been preparing as much as we can for delivery of this vaccine – we now eagerly await further details on how it will be rolled out across general practice and primary care, including details about vaccine supply.”