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<p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is the independent body
made up of scientific and clinical experts who advise Government on which authorised
vaccines the United Kingdom should use and which groups in the population should be
offered initial or further doses of a particular vaccine.</p><p>The primary aim of
the COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease,
such as hospitalisation and mortality, arising from COVID-19. The JCVI identified
at the start of the programme a number of groups in the population at high clinical
risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. One of these clinical risk groups covers those
with chronic neurological disease. This includes all those with severe learning difficulties.
The full list of conditions covered is defined in tables two and four of the UK Health
Security Agency guide to vaccinators known as the Green Book.</p><p>For each new COVID-19
booster campaign the JCVI considers which groups should be recommended for a further
booster. For the current spring campaign, the JCVI has recommended boosters were needed
only for those at the very highest risk of serious outcomes. This covered those in
care homes for older people, all those aged 75 years old or over and all those aged
5 or over who are immunosuppressed. The JCVI has advised that there should be a further
booster programme in autumn 2023 for those at higher risk of severe COVID-19. Advice
from the JCVI on which risk groups are recommended for a booster dose in autumn 2023
is expected ahead of autumn.</p>
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