Vaccines showcased 'best of UK health and science'
The Covid vaccination programme was unprecedented. Never before had vaccines been developed so quickly or rolled out so rapidly.
What would normally take years in research and clinical trials was accomplished in months. The inquiry emphasized that safety and regulation were not compromised during this accelerated process.
Once available, approximately 130 million doses were administered within a year, with over nine in ten individuals aged over 12 receiving immunisation.
Authorities also innovated to enhance uptake, operating pop-up clinics in community centres and faith settings. The NHS and government collaborated with local community leaders to address vaccine hesitancy.
Overall, the inquiry described this achievement as one that
"showcased many of the best attributes of the UK's health and scientific systems".
Did government go too far on vaccines?
The inquiry noted that misinformation about vaccines circulating online during the pandemic negatively impacted Covid vaccine uptake and has since affected confidence in unrelated childhood vaccines.
Distrust in authority within certain communities, including ethnic minority groups and those living in deprived areas, was identified as a contributing factor.
Both misinformation and distrust require ongoing attention. The inquiry also examined government vaccine mandates, raising questions about their impact.
In June 2021, the government mandated Covid vaccination for care workers in England to work in care homes. Plans to extend this to all health and care staff were later scrapped before implementation, and the mandate for care home staff was revoked amid evidence that the vaccine's primary benefit was protecting individuals from serious illness rather than preventing infection and transmission.
The inquiry suggested that vaccine mandates may have contributed to alienation and increased hesitancy.
It concluded that more effort is necessary to rebuild trust in all vaccines.
What is the UK Covid inquiry and how does it work?
Give those harmed by vaccines bigger payouts
The report acknowledged that long-term health problems caused by Covid vaccines were rare but identified a small group who suffered serious injury or death.
Given that vaccination was promoted partly to protect others as well as oneself, the inquiry stressed the importance of proper support for those adversely affected.
More than 20,000 individuals have submitted Covid-related claims to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, a government financial support program, yet only about 1% have received one-off tax-free awards of £120,000.
The report called for
"urgent" reformof the scheme, describing it as
"not sufficiently supportive".
The current system requires claimants to demonstrate at least 60% disability, a threshold the inquiry found ineffective for Covid vaccine cases.
Additionally, the payout amount has been capped at £120,000 since 2007. The report recommended increasing this amount
"at least in line with inflation"and establishing new payout levels based on injury severity.
How a simple steroid drug saved lives
While much of the report focuses on vaccines, it also highlights the UK's significant role in identifying effective Covid treatments.
The deployment of dexamethasone, a low-cost steroid drug already available, exemplifies this contribution.
UK researchers quickly discovered that dexamethasone reduced the immune system overreaction in Covid patients that caused fatal lung damage.
The drug began being used in hospitals in June 2020, within hours of trial results being confirmed and disseminated globally.
By March 2021, dexamethasone is estimated to have saved 22,000 lives in the UK and one million worldwide.
Inquiry chair Baroness Hallett described it as
"the single-most important treatment to have been used during the pandemic".
