As it currently stands, the JCVI vaccine priority list only mentions severe asthma. It is rightly included in Group 4  (Clinically Extremely Vulnerable). Yet Group 6 (16-64 With Underlying Health Conditions) also mentions only a very narrow definition of severe asthma. Other levels or types of asthma have been excluded and these people are to be treated the same as healthy individuals their own age.

1. All asthmatics on inhaled steroids are still being advised by NHS guidelines that they are at increased risk/clinically vulnerable and must be especially careful yet are not being offered a vaccine in Group 6.
2. All asthma was identified as a significant risk factor for long Covid in the ZOE study.
3. There is considerable evidence that risk from Covid is determined by type of asthma and not just asthma severity or oral steroid intake.
4. JCVI categorisation of Severe Vs All Other Asthma doesn’t agree with NICE/BTS definitions and doesn’t acknowledge that risk is non-binary and can change rapidly.