What is the Covid booster and when will the vaccine programme start?
CORONAVIRUS vaccines are being rolled out across the country and some Brits are soon set to get a third booster dose.
But what is the Covid booster programme and when will the next round of jabs start?
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So far in the UK 44.7 million Brits have had their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, with 32.8 million having had a second.
Everyone over the age of 18 has been urged to come forward and have their jabs at vaccination centres, GP surgeries and pharmacies across the country.
The government wants every adult to have a first dose by July 19, when the country is set to lift the last remaining coronavirus restrictions.
But as the summer months fade, scientists are concerned that Brits will need more protection in the winter months, as the Delta variant continues to spread.
WHAT IS THE COVID BOOSTER?
The Covid booster is a third jab which will be given first to the most vulnerable Brits in the country - so those who had been part of the first round of jabs back in December and January.
It's not yet clear as to how long immunity from Covid vaccines lasts, which is why an additional dose is set to be rolled out.
The extra jabs could be called off if studies show they’re not needed, considering two vaccines are highly effective already.
But the NHS has been told to prepare for a rollout in case it gets given the green-light.
The campaign would work in two stages, with over-70s, care home residents, extremely vulnerable people and health and care workers up first.
Then all over-50s and under-50s with long-term health problems would get the offer as soon as possible.
Each person on the list will get one more jab - it may be of the same type as their first two or a different one.
It will ensure their Covid protection is the strongest possible over the winter, when viruses tend to spread more and pressure on the NHS is already higher.
Officials added it “seems unlikely” that younger adults will need to get another jab because they should get at least six months’ immunity from the second doses, lasting into 2022.
WHEN WILL THE PROGRAMME START?
Those most vulnerable and those who had their doses first will get dibs on the third booster.
The rollout is set to start in September and the JCVI had given advanced notice to the NHS so they can put a plan together.
The NHS is set to use the same system which had been used for the vaccine rollout - so it's likely that some people might not get a third dose until 2022.
Professor Anthony Harden, deputy chair of the JCVI today said one of the best things about the booster jab is the fact that it will just be one dose, and that the infrastructure is already in place to give people the extra jab.
Phases of the booster programme
Stage 1
The following groups should be offered a booster dose and the flu vaccine from September:
- all adults aged 70 years or over;
- those living in residential care homes for older adults;
- frontline health and social care workers;
- adults aged 16 years and over who are considered clinically extremely vulnerable;
- adults aged 16 years and over who are immunosuppressed.
Stage 2
The following groups should be offered a booster dose as soon as practicable after Stage 1:
- all adults aged 50 years and over;
- all adults aged 16 to 49 years who are in an influenza or COVID-19 at-risk group;
- adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
As most younger adults will only receive their second vaccine dose in late summer, the benefits of boosters will be considered at a later time
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He said: "I think the NHS will be able to come up with a plan which is why we have given them this interim advice (on booster jabs) so they can start planning."
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The Delta variant is now the dominant strain in the UK and Prof Harden said this was something the JCVI is keeping an eye on when it comes to the rollout of booster jabs.
He said it was unlikely that vaccines would be "tweaked"; by the end of the year to deal with the Delta variant and that variants of concern were something that the group is continuously looking at.