Calls for local control of vaccine rollout in Luton dismissed by health officials

A national joint committee for vaccines identified ten groups to receive the vaccine based on clinical priority, a meeting of the council's health and social care review group was told on Thursday.

"It estimates around 80 per cent of deaths will be addressed by vaccinating the first four groups," explained the local authority's director of public health, Lucy Hubber.

"There's a big push from the teaching trade unions for teachers to be vaccinated and there's a large argument around that central infrastructure.

"That becomes much more of a political economic discussion and outside my remit, so it's something for you to consider."

Labour Northwell councillor Anne Donelon asked: "Do we have any ability to prioritise, or is it the NHS which is deciding?

"Have we any power to say 'the rate of infection and the amount of fatalities are rising in the town in certain key worker sectors'?

"We know there are pockets of deprivation. There might be people going off to warehouses and doing jobs which aren't on the priority lists.

"Is there any possibility of some variation and flexibility in where the vaccine goes in our town, or do we have to stick rigidly to what the government guidance is saying?"

Ms Hubber said: "I think it's important to remember the public health purpose of this vaccination.

"Yes, it's to protect us all. But we need to start by protecting the most vulnerable.

"We have the vaccine plan now which shows we've another month rolling out to these most vulnerable groups.

"What it also said in the plan is we'll look at occupational testing once we've completed these first four groups, and understand a little more about the transmission that's happening and the effectiveness.

"My view is we should absolutely continue to focus on those most vulnerable groups getting vaccinated first and on the people who work with them, such as health and social care staff, to put that tier of protection in.

"Then we move into the next phase of the over 70s and the clinically extremely vulnerable.

"That has to be our top priority for the first phase of vaccination. It's important we take the advice of the experts."

Labour South councillor David Agbley said: "The government has got everything wrong when it comes to this pandemic and I'm not sure it's getting the vaccination right. Only time will tell.

"I think it should be devolved down to local areas for local people to determine how this will work best.

"We need to make representations to government and say so far you've got this wrong.

"Local people know best and you should leave it to them."

Councillor Agbley, who chairs the review group, suggested a message such as 'Save Luton working class', as "something needs to happen".

Director of primary care for the BLMK Clinical Commissioning Groups Nicky Poulain said: "It's a very strict priority order. It's imperative.

"For every 20 vaccinations in a care home one death in the residents' cohort is potentially preventable.

"All care home staff are in that cohort one. We're asking patients or residents to wait until they're called. I promise you nobody will be forgotten."