Vaccine Injury Awareness Month
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2025.11.11
2.6 Deputy I. Gardiner of St. Helier North of the Minister for Health and Social Services regarding vaccine-related injuries (OQ.248/2025):
Given that October marked Vaccine Injury Awareness Month, will the Minister advise what action, if any, has been taken to recognise and to support Islanders who have suffered vaccine-related injuries, in particular those resulting from the COVID-19 vaccination programme?
Deputy T.J.A Binet of St. Saviour (The Minister for Health and Social Services):
In answer to the Deputy 's question, in May 2024 the Government adopted the Jersey Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme and so far 8 Jersey residents have applied to the scheme. But, unfortunately, to date no one has been medically assessed as qualifying for compensation. Though in recent months we have organised psychological support, as you feel they may have been damaged by the vaccines.
2.6.1 Deputy I. Gardiner :
Thank you, Minister. As we know that the threshold is really high and my question: has the Minister met or does he intend to meet a representative of the Vaccine Injury & Bereaved Jersey group to hear directly about the challenges they faced and maybe further support can be given?
Deputy T.J.A. Binet :
Yes, I have met with the group and I have no doubt that I am likely to meet with them again. I have to say that since I have been dealing with this from a political perspective, I found the whole situation rather difficult. Firstly, the bar for paying compensation has been set quite high and that requires a 60 per cent disability. That has got to be medically verified as having been caused as a direct consequence of vaccination. Secondly, because for any medical assessment it is extremely difficult to ascertain what medical condition any individual may have developed post-vaccination in your recourse of events. That is especially with reference to those with pre-existing medical conditions. In all honesty, I found myself in a very difficult position and having listened to some very compelling cases, but not being a doctor, not me being in a position to ascertain what may or may not have been going to happen to that individual person with or without the vaccine. It is a difficult situation indeed.