Door-to-door Covid jabs as Boris considers New Year restrictions Tomorrow

Door-to-door teams armed with Covid jabs will be sent to the homes of unvaccinated Britons in plans being considered by Ministers to reach the estimated five million people yet to be inoculated.

Discussions between the Department of Health, NHS England and No 10 over the past week have looked at a nationwide drive to send vaccine teams to areas with low uptake rates as a crucial way to avoid lockdown and other restrictions.

It is also seen as a way to get jabs to rural areas or households where people cannot easily get to a vaccination centre.

However, it is understood school closures are not being considered for January, with a source close to Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi saying: 'The PM and Nadhim are fully committed to keeping schools open, and there's a shared commitment across Government to do so.

'Education is a top priority and school closures are not something being considered.'  

One Cabinet Minister last night backed the plan, saying: 'I think anything that encourages the vaccine-hesitant is sensible,' before warning: 'The mood in the country is hardening against people who refuse to be vaccinated.

This comes as SAGE warned the UK is about to be hit by a large wave of Covid hospitalisations and the peak could be even higher than last winter despite the reduced severity of Omicron.

In minutes from a meeting on December 23 published last night, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies warned that the peak on hospital admissions 'may be comparable to or higher than previous peaks' – including the second wave in January.

But MPs and hospitality bosses have warned Boris Johnson not to bring in new restrictions before New Year's Eve or risk 'devastating' businesses. 

This comes as SAGE warned the UK is about to be hit by a large wave of Covid hospitalisations and the peak could be even higher than last winter despite the reduced severity of Omicron.

In minutes from a meeting on December 23 published last night, the Government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies warned that the peak on hospital admissions 'may be comparable to or higher than previous peaks' – including the second wave in January.

But MPs and hospitality bosses have warned Boris Johnson not to bring in new restrictions before New Year's Eve or risk 'devastating' businesses. 

'I am all in favour of free choice but there comes a point when you cannot lock up 90 per cent of the country who are vaccinated for the ten per cent who refuse to be.'

Doctors have said up to 90 per cent of Covid patients in intensive care units are unvaccinated. 

The move comes as: 

• Hospitality bosses and MPs have begged Boris Johnson not to ruin New Year's Eve or risk 'devastating' businesses;
• The Cabinet is expected to meet early this week to decide on whether to impose new restrictions in light of the Omicron variant;
• Government scientists released scenarios where tougher restrictions could come in on December 28 and last until March;
• Modelling by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine suggested there could be a large number of hospitalisations this winter, even though Omicron is less likely to cause severe illness

The vaccination drive continued throughout Christmas Day. NHS England said thousands of first, second and booster jabs were given yesterday.

Meanwhile more than 220,000 first doses of the vaccine were administered in the week to 21 December, up by 46 per cent compared to the previous week. First dose uptake in 18-24 year-olds rose by 85 per cent in the same period, and 71 per cent in 25 to 30-year-olds.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the rise in first dose uptake was 'excellent', as discussions were ongoing on how to reach more of the unjabbed.

Door-to-door jabs visits are already being trialled in one area of Ipswich, which led to an extra 150 people getting their first, second or booster jab in a weekend.

Downing Street sources said the aim is to expand this to the rest of the country and try to reach the estimated five milllion unvaccinated.

Dan Poulter, the Tory MP and NHS hospital doctor who has been doing shifts in London hospitals, welcomed the plan. He said: 'In parts of London where there's very low vaccine uptake, you're bound to get a good uptake in jabs if you're knocking on doors.

'I think that would have a very positive effect in getting vaccination rates higher.'

Meanwhile Tory MPs have warned the Government not to shut down the economy for the sake of people who have not got their jabs. 

Source