Covid: Senior GP's capacity warning over booster rollout

The booster rollout has been expanded in response to the emerging Omicron variant

A senior doctor has warned GPs are at "full capacity" ahead of a planned Covid booster vaccination rollout.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the jab will be offered to everyone in England who is eligible by the end of January.

Dr Gary Howsam, the vice chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said choices will have to be made "as to where we add most clinical value".

Northampton GP Dr Jamie Green said the rollout feels "like a bit of a joke".

Mr Johnson said the government would be "throwing everything" at the campaign so everyone can get a third jab.

People will be invited to book a booster three months after their second vaccine dose.

The rollout was expanded in response to the emerging Omicron variant.

Dr Howsam, who is also the clinical chair of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and a GP partner with the Octagon Medical Practice in Peterborough, told the Today programme: "GPs are already working at full capacity."

He said doctors are "currently under immense pressure" with 34 million consultations taking place in October.

"We need to understand what we are going to be allowed to stop doing," he added.

"We did it last year, we'll do it this year but it is about focusing in the right areas."

Dr Jamie Green said an influx of people calling to get booster vaccines had left surgeries overwhelmed

Dr Green, a GP at Delapre Medical Centre in Northampton, told BBC Radio Northampton initial Covid jabs had been administered during national lockdowns, when few people were being sent to the NHS and routine operations had been cancelled.

"We're struggling to do the over-50s," he said. "We are going to struggle a lot to do the over-40s.

"Suddenly, overnight, we now have over 18-year-olds calling the surgery wanting a booster vaccine."

"I'm not convinced what Boris Johnson has announced has been thought through," he added.

"We've heard stories of GP surgeries being completely overwhelmed.

"Don't expect these booster vaccines to be available instantly."

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The BBC approached the Department of Health for comment, but was referred to NHS England.

NHS England said there was nothing further to add beyond Tuesday's press conference, but noted GP-led sites delivered 3,536,808 Covid vaccinations in October, compared to 960,893 in September.

"That is a good example of how GPs have delivered more of both routine care and vaccinations at the same time," a spokesperson said.