Rollout of Covid vaccines extraordinary feat - inquiry report

The rollout of Covid vaccines – the largest immunisation programme in UK history - was an "extraordinary feat", the Covid inquiry said.

The fourth report from the inquiry praised the speed in which jabs were developed and deployed – 132 million were given in 2021 - alongside how the UK discovered which treatments worked best against the virus.

The positive headlines contrast with the first three reports that were highly critical of the government's pandemic planning, decision-making and management of the NHS.

But the report said more needed to be done to address vaccine hesitancy and those harmed by the Covid jabs should have easier access to bigger payouts.

Inquiry chair Baroness Hallett praised the vaccine programme, pointing to research which suggested it saved more than 475,000 lives after more than 90% of people aged over 12 came forward for a jab.

But she said while most people took up the offer of vaccination, there was lower uptake within communities in areas of higher deprivation and in some ethnic minority communities.

"Governments and health services must work with communities to rebuild trust and promote a better understanding of, and confidence in, vaccines," she said.

Spread of false information online and lack of trust in authority, combined with how quickly the vaccines had been developed, were contributory factors, said the report.

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Source: BBC News, 16 April 2026