Healthy adults between the ages of 40 and 49 will be eligible for a Covid booster jab, it's been announced today (Monday 15 November).
All adults over the age of 40 should be offered a booster six months after their second dose, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said.
People should be offered the Pfizer or Moderna jab as a booster, irrespective of which vaccine they had initially.
So far, some 12.6 million people have had a third Covid-19 jab.
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But booster jabs have only been available for those aged 50 and over, health and social care workers or people aged 16 and over with certain health conditions.
So when will over 40s be able to get their booster jab?
The booster will be offered six months after the second vaccine was given, with people able to book their appointment after five months.
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said he has asked the NHS to prepare to offer those eligible a booster jab 'as soon as possible.'
He said said in a statement: “Our Covid-19 vaccination rollout has been a phenomenal success, saving countless lives, reducing pressure on the NHS and helping us stop the spread of the virus.
“We are expanding the programme even further and today I have accepted the advice from the independent experts at the JCVI to extend the additional offer of a booster jab to people aged 40 and over and offer a second dose of a vaccine to all young people aged 16 to 17 as part of the primary vaccination schedule.
“All four parts of the UK intend to follow the JCVI’s advice.
“I have asked the NHS to prepare to offer those eligible a vaccine as soon as possible.”
He added: “The JCVI will keep under review whether the booster programme should be extended to all people under the age of 40 and I look forward to receiving their advice in due course.”
It comes as a new study highlighted how boosters can significantly increase people’s protection against getting a symptomatic case of Covid-19.
Two weeks after getting their booster, adults over 50 had at least 93% reduced risk of getting a symptomatic case of Covid-19, according to a study from the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA).
Protection against more severe disease and death is expected to be even higher.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid-19 immunisation for the JCVI, said: “Booster vaccine doses in more vulnerable adults, and second vaccine doses in 16 to 17-year-olds are important ways to increase our protection against COVID-19 infection and severe disease. These vaccinations will also help extend our protection into 2022.
“If you are eligible, please make sure to have these vaccines and keep yourselves protected as we head into winter.”
