Given that COVID-19 is a respiratory disease, it makes sense for people with asthma to be on the priority list for the booster shots.  It was therefore reassuring that the JCVI issued interim advice stating that people with asthma on the free flu jab list would be offered the booster vaccine.

However, I completely understand why people with asthma are concerned that this interim advice may not ultimately become government policy.  As you may recall, when the initial vaccinations were taking place, people with asthma were placed into a priority group only for the Government to change policy at the last minute.  Arbitrarily, if you took steroid tablets then you were a priority, but if you used a steroid inhaler, you weren’t.

This decision caused a great deal of unnecessary worry and confusion for people with asthma.  With the booster vaccinations, the Government should not make the same mistake again and instead stick with the JCVI’s advice.

I have written to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, and asked him to do just that.  I have posted a copy of my letter below for you to see.