FOI Reference: FOI/2023/1044
You asked
In regard to Covid and Covid vaccination, Professor Norman Fenton has stated that in estimating the number of unvaccinated in England, the ONS estimates the population of England by counting only those registered in the 2011 census AND registered with a GP in 2019. Is this correct? In other words, in estimating the number of unvaccinated does the ONS count only the people who are BOTH registered in the 2011 census AND registered with a GP in 2019? To be clear, does this mean that if a person was registered in the 2011 census but was NOT registered with a GP in 2019, the ONS doesn't count them? And does it mean that if a person was registered with a GP in 2019, but NOT registered in the 2011 census, the ONS doesn't count them? Is Professor Fenton (or my understanding of what Professor said) correct? If not, what's incorrect about it, how does the ONS calculate the number of unvaccinated in the UK. Does the ONS stand by the claim that around 8% of the population in England (or UK) are unvaccinated?
We said
Thank you for your request
The description is correct for our earlier releases. Our analysis is based on the cohort of 2011 census respondents who were registered with a GP in 2019, living in England and alive at the beginning of the vaccination campaign. Our uptake publication is Coronavirus and vaccination rates by sociodemographic characteristic and occupation in England: Dec 2020 to March 2023. 9.3% of people in England have not received any vaccination.
We see this as a strength; however, it is very difficult to estimate the population of unvaccinated individuals. It is usually calculated as population estimate minus vaccinated individuals.
Please note that our vaccination publication covers England data only, we do not hold UK data.
For further information, please contact Health.data@ons.gov.uk