A new rollout of Covid booster jabs will begin this week as eligible people will be offered a fourth dose of the vaccine. It comes as cases of coronavirus rise across the UK, with a new sub-variant of Omicron - called BA.2 - linked to the increase.
Around 552,000 have tested positive for the virus in the previous seven days, nearly 40 per cent more than the week prior. Health secretary Sajid Javid said that despite rising Covid cases, the government’s “level of concern hasn’t changed”.
“Although case numbers are rising, infections are rising and indeed hospital numbers are rising, they are still way below their peak," Mr Javid said. "It’s also important for us when we review this, to understand why they are rising and that is primarily due to the increased social mixing we’re seeing after the country’s opened up, but also the BA.2 sub-variant of Omicron which we know is on the one hand more infectious but, on the other hand, we know that our vaccines work just as well against this sub-variant."
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Hospitalisations of people with Covid-19 have also increased by around 25 per cent with deaths remaining relatively unchanged.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised a spring jab should be offered to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 as a precautionary measure. The government hopes the new booster jab programme will provide a fresh round of protection for people who are eligible.
Who is eligible for the fourth jab?
Those who can expect to be contacted about receiving the fourth jab are care home residents, people aged 75 and over as well as those who are immunosuppressed. In fact, some immunosuppressed people will be receiving their fifth jab this time round since extra doses have already been supplied for those with particular health conditions.
Those aged between 12 and 18 will be receiving the Pfizer jab while anyone aged over 18 will likely be offered either the Pfizer or modern vaccines. If someone has not been contacted to take the jab but are still eligible they can still receive it from the NHS.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid previously said: “When it comes to vaccinations I think we rightly take the advice of our clinicians.
“JCVI look at the data very, very carefully and their latest advice is that there should be a second boost – or let’s call it a fourth dose – but to focus on those over 75, those in care homes, those who are immunosuppressed.”
Around five million people will be able to get a spring booster during the campaign and this week, the NHS will be contacting over 600,000 people to invite them to book their jab. You will usually be offered an appointment around six months after your last dose of the vaccine, according to the NHS.
You may be offered appointment dates from three months after your last dose of the vaccine - but the NHS advises you to try and book an appointment after six months to get the best protection from your spring booster.
Who counts as immunosuppressed?
Those who are classified as immunosuppressed are considered especially vulnerable to suffering from complications from a Covid-19 infection. Therefore, the NHS stresses the importance of these people receiving a booster vaccine as soon as they are available to help lower the chances of any serious issues.
According to the NHS, severe immunosuppression includes people who had or may recently have had:
- a blood cancer (such as leukaemia or lymphoma)
- a weakened immune system due to a treatment (such as steroid medicine, biological therapy (sometimes called immunotherapy), chemotherapy or radiotherapy)
- an organ or bone marrow transplant
- a condition that means you have a very high risk of getting infections
- a condition or treatment your specialist advises makes you eligible for a third dose
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