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Isle Of Wight Vaccine Rollout: All People With Learning Disabilities Prioritised

All Islanders on the learning disability register are to be invited for a coronavirus vaccine, the Health Secretary has confirmed.

The joint committee on vaccination (JCVI) has advised the Government of the changes to the priority list.

It means 150,000 more people with learning disabilities will now to fall into category six.

Previously only people with "severe or profound" learning disabilities were eligible, as Isle of Wight Radio reported.

It follows a campaign by an Isle of Wight man, who has been calling for everyone with learning disabilities to be prioritised for a jab.

Following Isle of Wight Radio's story, Sam Jefferies has now had his first dose of a COVID vaccine.


Health Secretary Matt Hancock has confirmed that he has asked the NHS to make changes to the priority list.

Figures from Public Health England show disabled people are up to six times more likely to die from COVID-19.

For those aged between 18 and 34 with learning disabilities, the mortality rate is 30 times higher.

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