A compensation scheme could be set up for thousands of ‘disabled people’ by AstraZeneca Jab

The pharmaceutical giant is being sued in a class action over claims that the jab, developed in partnership with the University of Oxford, caused death and serious injury in dozens of cases. The government has shielded AstraZeneca from any legal action but has so far refused to intervene.

Sir Jeremy Wright MP, the shadow attorney general, attended the meeting with Mr Streeting and VIBUK last month and has planned a follow-up meeting with him in the coming weeks.

“The two options are to reform the VDPS and set up a tailor-made compensation scheme,” he said. “But it is not an option for the government to bury its head in the sand and do nothing.

“If you are in the very small minority of those who have been injured (by the Covid vaccine), those people have a right to expect the state to take good care of them – they only did what the state asked of them .”

More than 15,000 people have done so requested compensation from the VDPS due to alleged damage caused by Covid vaccines, according to the latest official figures.

Of the 15,804 claims submitted to the VDPS by those who have had an adverse reaction to the Covid jab, only 188 have been told they are entitled to payment.

The figures, released by the government following freedom of information requests, show that the vast majority of successful claims are for the AstraZeneca vaccine, with fewer than five linked to Pfizer and Moderna.

Payments have been awarded for conditions such as stroke, heart attack, dangerous blood clots, inflammation of the spinal cord, excessive swelling of the vaccinated limb and facial paralysis.

Campaigners claim VDPS is not adequately compensating those who have suffered serious side effects from Covid vaccines and can no longer work.

VDPS is awarding a one-off tax-free payment of £120,000 to people who have been seriously injured and to the families of those who have died as a result of vaccination against certain diseases, including Covid. To qualify for the benefit, individuals must be 60 percent disabled.

Charlet Crichton, founder of the charity UKCVFamily, which supports those suffering side effects from Covid vaccines, said: “We are optimistic that the new government will support their vaccine injured and bereaved families and we hope the plan will be reformed.

“We are calling for a complete overhaul of the system. There are too many things wrong with the current plan to be viable.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “Our deepest sympathies go out to those who have suffered harm.

“The Secretary of State has met with the families to hear their concerns and agreed that the Government will review these closely as we continue to learn and apply the lessons of the pandemic.”