People aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and people aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed are to be offered a Covid booster jab, the Government has announced.
The Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the announcement followed advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
“We know immunity to COVID-19 begins to wane over time. That’s why we’re offering a spring booster to those people at higher risk of serious COVID-19 to make sure they maintain a high level of protection. It’s important that everyone gets their top-up jabs as soon as they’re eligible.”
The additional interim advice to ministers ahead of planning for a wider booster programme in autumn, which is likely to include people who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19.
No details on this have emerged yet – but the JCVI believes winter is likely to remain the season when the threat of COVID is the greatest.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of COVID-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: “Last year’s booster vaccination programme has so far provided excellent protection against severe COVID-19.
