UNITED KINGDOM — The UK Covid Inquiry published its latest report describing the rollout of Covid vaccines — the largest immunisation programme in UK history — as an "extraordinary feat." The report found that the rapid development and deployment of vaccines and the speed at which the UK identified effective Covid-19 treatments were key successes of the pandemic response.

A total of 132 million Covid vaccine doses were administered in the UK in 2021, and more than 90% of people aged over 12 received a vaccine. Research suggested that vaccination saved more than 475,000 lives. The inexpensive steroid dexamethasone was also used to prevent fatal lung damage in patients.

However, the report said communication about the benefits and risks of vaccines must be improved. The spread of false information online, lack of trust in authority, and the rapid development of vaccines contributed to vaccine hesitancy, the report found. Vaccine uptake was lower in communities in areas of higher deprivation and in some ethnic minority communities. Inquiry chair Baroness Hallett said: "Governments and health services must work with communities to rebuild trust and promote a better understanding of, and confidence in, vaccines."

The report addressed the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme, which has had a payout cap of £120,000 since 2007. More than 20,000 people made Covid-related claims, but only about 1% resulted in one-off tax-free awards. The scheme requires claimants to show they are at least 60% disabled, a threshold the inquiry said does not work effectively for Covid vaccines. The report recommended that payouts increase at least in line with inflation and that new levels be set based on the level of injury suffered.

The government mandated that care home workers be vaccinated as of June 2021 but later revoked the requirement. The inquiry said revoking the mandate may have contributed to alienation and increased hesitancy. Unison General Secretary Andrea Egan said mandating vaccines for health and care workers was never the right way to address vaccine concerns. "Making them compulsory didn't command the support of the profession and likely contributed to vaccine hesitancy in some groups," she said. "Instead, ministers should have run targeted campaigns to reassure staff the vaccine was safe, during the deluge of anti-vax nonsense," Egan added.

A government spokeswoman said the vaccine programme "was unprecedented and reflected the strength of the UK's world-leading life sciences sector, the universal public health system and the extraordinary dedication of health and care staff." The government said it would consider the report in detail and was committed to learning lessons.