Covid vaccines should be made available for people to buy privately in Britain, leading scientists have urged, amid concerns over a new wave of the virus which could worsen in autumn and winter.
Unlike flu jabs, which individuals or employers can buy for about £15 from high street pharmacies, Covid jabs are only available on the NHS in the UK.
This month the UK government announced that the Covid autumn booster programme would cover a smaller pool of the population than earlier vaccination drives. The age limit has been raised from 50 to 65 and above, with some younger vulnerable groups also eligible.
Covid is on the rise, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Experts raised concerns the wave could continue to grow and add to winter pressures on the NHS.
Prof Adam Finn, of the University of Bristol, a member of the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), said Covid jabs should be available commercially. Some employers might want to offer the vaccines to their staff, he added.
Speaking in a personal capacity, Finn said: “I think it will be a good idea for vaccines to be made available to those that want them on the private market. I don’t really see any reason why that shouldn’t be happening.”
Pharmaceutical companies are not prohibited from taking Covid jabs to the private market, according to the Department of Health (DHSC).
A DHSC spokesperson said: “Private sales of Covid vaccines is the same as other private healthcare, such as private sales of the seasonal flu vaccine – it is for manufacturers and private healthcare providers to decide and agree on.”
Pharmaceutical companies suggested they were tied into UK government contracts, though industry data suggested they were open to offering the jabs for commercial sale.
Reports suggest that private jabs could be offered as soon as this autumn in the US. In March Moderna told Reuters that it expected to price its Covid vaccine at about $130 [£102], while Pfizer last year suggested $110 to $130 per dose.
Darius Hughes, the UK general manager for Moderna, said: “Moderna will continue to work with UKHSA to ensure we have met all orders to support the 2023-24 NHS programme for recommended groups as per the JCVI advice, and we remain open to exploring the possibility and viability of providing Covid-19 vaccines to healthcare providers for private sales.”
Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, said private access to vaccines was fraught with difficulties, particularly in relation to equity of access, and Covid vaccines could be unaffordable for many. But there was precedent, he said.
“We accept every year that those who are not at high risk of serious complications can access a private flu jab, so why should the Covid jab be any different?
“While the Covid jab may not offer much protection against infection for the vast majority of people, it will help in preventing spread of the virus. Covid vaccination will also protect against the development of long Covid.”
Prof Danny Altmann, an immunologist at Imperial College London, said: “JCVI have done their calculation in favour of a very limited vaccine offer for the elderly and immunosuppressed, leaving the bulk of the population way out from their last dose and poorly protected.”
Prof Stephen Griffin, of the University of Leeds, said the current policy, which appears to rely on infections to boost immunity in the general population instead of vaccines, put people at risk of illness, including long Covid.
“Whilst private provision is therefore less than ideal, it would at least improve the unfortunate position the UK finds itself in today,” he said. “Perhaps, with subsidy for those unable to afford them, this might reduce the impact of the predicted autumn and winter Covid waves.”
However, Prof Sir Andrew Pollard, of the University of Oxford, said the eligibility criteria for the new booster campaign made sense.
“The science is clear that from the NHS perspective, Covid-19 is no longer a problem for the healthy and young in the population and it makes sense to focus vaccine policy on older adults, especially the frail, and those with underlying health conditions,” he said.
Philippa Harvey, the director of the Covid Vaccine Unit at UKHSA, said: “The Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to target those at higher risk of serious illness in line with JCVI advice, as those groups are most likely to benefit from booster vaccination at this time.
“The Covid-19 vaccine is not currently available to buy privately in the UK but there is no blanket restriction on private sales of licensed vaccines.”
