Millions of over-50s will be able to book Covid booster jabs a month early to speed up protection before winter.
From Monday, people in England will be able to book appointments before they become eligible so they can get a booster as close as possible to six months after their second dose.
Alerts are likely to be sent out to remind people that they are about to become eligible in an effort to ensure they book in as soon as possible to counter waning immunity.
So far, 9.3 million in the UK have had the booster, and there are signs that the programme is accelerating again after a half-term dip, with 334,398 third jabs recorded yesterday. But health chiefs still do not believe the goal to offer jabs to more than 30 million people will be completed until mid-January because of the requirement to wait at least six months between second and third doses, imposed by vaccines chiefs to ensure lasting immunity.
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, said: “Vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your family ahead of a challenging winter and this change to the booking system . . . will make it as easy as possible for people to book their booster jabs.”
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In England, 12 million are eligible. By next week, about 15 million will be eligible. Health chiefs insist that they can offer jabs to everyone who comes forward, saying that the only limit is demand as urgency lessens. Everyone over 50 and those with chronic conditions, as well as health and social care workers, will be offered boosters.
Javid said that the change would “accelerate the booster programme, ensure the NHS is able to vaccinate people as quickly as possible, and importantly help more people maintain protection against Covid-19 as we know immunity will dip over time”.
Ministers estimate that a vaccine’s protection falls by about a third after six months but a trial showed an extra Pfizer jab puts it back over 95 per cent.
Stephen Powis, NHS England medical director, said: “While this winter is undoubtedly going to be different, the most important thing you can do is come forward for both your Covid booster and flu jab as soon as possible — now with the added convenience of booking in advance — making it even easier to protect yourself and loves ones.”
