Response to the JCVI’s Autumn 2027 COVID-19 Vaccination Advice
On the 9th of October we wrote to the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) about their Autumn 2027 COVID-19 Vaccination Advice.
Dear Professor Wei Shen Lim KBE and Members of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI),
We are writing on behalf of Long Covid SOS regarding the JCVI’s advice on the COVID-19 vaccination programme for autumn 2027.
We are concerned that the advice makes no explicit reference to Long Covid when assessing the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination.
Approximately 2 million people in the UK are living with Long Covid, which can have profound and lasting effects on health, employment, education and quality of life. Recent health economic research estimates that Long Covid costs England and Scotland approximately £8.1 billion annually, with a cumulative cost of £24.2 billion since the condition emerged.
Published evidence also indicates that COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of developing Long Covid after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although vaccination does not eliminate this risk, it may reduce the likelihood of Long Covid. Reinfection can also worsen symptoms for people already living with the condition and, in some cases, cause a lasting reduction in health and functioning.
The omission of Long Covid is therefore significant. If the evidence was considered, the JCVI should explain how it informed the recommendations. If it was not considered, this represents a substantial gap in the assessment of vaccination benefits.
The assessment should extend beyond preventing hospitalisation and death from acute infection to include preventing Long Covid and reducing the risk of further deterioration among people already living with it. This is particularly important because people affected by Long Covid may face reduced income and significant barriers to paying privately for vaccination. Excluding them from publicly funded vaccination may therefore compound the financial and health consequences of the condition.
We ask the JCVI to provide clear answers to the following questions:
Was the evidence that COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a reduced risk of developing Long Covid considered in the assessment informing the autumn 2027 advice?
If so, what weight was given to this potential benefit, and why is Long Covid not identified explicitly in the published advice?
Was the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 reinfection on people already living with Long Covid considered, including worsening symptoms and a reduced baseline of health and functioning?
If Long Covid and the consequences of reinfection were not considered, why not, given the scale of the condition and the available evidence?
How will preventing Long Covid and protecting people already living with it be incorporated into future vaccination assessments and eligibility decisions?
We also call for transparent communication about the evidence relating to vaccination and Long Covid, and meaningful access to vaccination for people who wish to reduce their risk of developing Long Covid or experiencing further deterioration after reinfection.
The absence of Long Covid from the current advice should be addressed, and the prevention of long-term illness and disability should be explicitly incorporated into future COVID-19 vaccination decision-making. We would welcome the opportunity to engage with the Committee and share the experiences of people living with Long Covid.
We look forward to receiving a substantive response.
Yours faithfully,
Long Covid SOS
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