ANGER is growing among asthmatics after the government refused to prioritise everyone with the condition for the Covid vaccine.

All asthmatics have been classed as vulnerable and at risk for the past year and it was understood they would be in groups 4 and 6 of the first phase of the vaccine rollout.

But many were left devastated when they found at the last minute that only people with severe asthma would be in those groups - leaving all others to be vaccinated at the same time as healthy people in their own age groups.

Now the government has rejected a plea from Asthma UK to prioritise all asthmatics at the end of the first phase.

In a statement today the charity said: "We have been urging the government to prioritise everyone with asthma not already in groups four and six in the second phase of the COVID vaccine rollout. To our immense disappointment and frustration, they have said that they will not do this at this stage.

"At a meeting yesterday, we again outlined evidence showing people with asthma are at a greater risk of needing hospital treatment and long COVID. However, the government outlined no intention of changing from the JCVI’s age-based recommendation for the next vaccination phase.

"We will continue to present evidence to the government and urge them to reconsider this stance. It’s vital they listen to the concerns of people with asthma. As we continue to campaign on this, please keep signing and sharing the petition: http://bit.ly/3bh9brG"

The news is devastating for many people with the condition who say they should never have been removed from group six. Many have spent the past year effectively shielding as they followed NHS advice to be particularly stringent about social distancing and mixing.

The latest news has prompted a barrage of angry tweets from asthmatics who fear for their safety as society begins to open up before they are vaccinated.

Many are calling on Asthma UK to argue the case for everyone with the condition to be put into group six.

One tweeted: "This is shameful @BorisJohnson @MattHancock @nadhimzahawi. So asthmatics (whose lungs are already compromised), will now have to go back out into the working world after shielding for a year, with no protection at all. #VaccinesForAsthmatics #asthmaticsatrisk"

Another tweeted: "We don’t need to be included in the next wave we need to be in group 6 @asthmauk this is not good enough. You know we are vulnerable and we are the only flu jab group being excluded from group 6. Flu jab should mean covid jab it’s that simple. You MUST fight this."

Another said: "It's really stressful and depressing to know that the government just doesn't give a flying fig about those of us living with a chronic lung condition who are desperately worried about covid and have barely interacted with other people for a year as a result."

The Department of Health and Social Care says its priority is to save lives and protect the most vulnerable, and that the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended that adults with severe asthma should be vaccinated in priority group six.

It says mild asthma - including asthma which is treated by inhalers - does not carry a higher risk of serious outcomes from Covid-19.

But campaigners claim the evidence is flawed as it does not take into account the large numbers of clinically vulnerable people with asthma who have effectively shielded for the past year. They also point out that well-controlled asthma can quickly become uncontrolled when a sufferer catches a cold or other respiratory virus. A petition calling for all asthmatics to be put into group 6 can be found at #asthmaticsatrisk.