The JCVI is the UK’s advisory body on vaccination and specifically this year from Autumn 2025 the Covid vaccine programme will not include people with learning disabilities or even working age adult care/nursing homes. From 2020-2022 there was strong evidence of higher risk of hospitalisation, mortality and serious illness and up to Autumn 2024 people with learning disabilities were able to access the vaccine (if not the booster in Spring).
But it seems there’s been no published research in UK since the Omicrom variant became the main Covid variant, and the JCVI say because Omicrom variant is milder and the vaccine doesn’t really address how transmissible it is, the main risks they look at are hospitalisation and serious illness. Here the evidence is only clear for older adults and immunosuppressed. They acknowledge evidence and risk stratification is lacking for people with learning disabilities and to be fair are open to learning more.
Perhaps others will know of any recent research for this people with learning disabilities, nationally or internationally, relating to risk of more serious illness from this variant? It feels at the very least worth a bit more challenge so people can access the vaccine if they wish.