Vaccine observation time could be scrapped to help speed up booster race

Some medics have said the waiting time has caused bottlenecks at vaccination sites
(Yui Mok/PA)
PA Wire
Michael Howie13 December 2021

Waiting times for observation after Covid-19 jabs could be scrapped or reduced under plans to speed up vaccination efforts.

After people have a vaccine they are asked to wait for a period of observation to ensure they do not have an allergic reaction.

For instance, the patient information leaflet for the Moderna vaccine says: “During and after each injection of the vaccine, your doctor, pharmacist or nurse will watch over you for at least 15 minutes to monitor for signs of an allergic reaction.”

The wait time was introduced after two NHS staff suffered allergic reactions on the first day of the vaccine rollout last year.

But some doctors have said the waiting time can “reduce the efficiency” of vaccination centres.

Azeem Majeed, professor of primary care and public health at Imperial College London wrote on Twitter: “If the government wants to increase the number of Covid-19 vaccinations, then the MHRA needs to urgently review the 15 minute waiting period after vaccination.

“This substantially reduces the efficiency and throughput of vaccine clinics, as well as vaccinations for the housebound.”

The chief medical officers of the UK are understood to be reviewing whether the waiting time can safely be reduced or scrapped.

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