illions of people in the UK could receive their second Covid booster vaccine in autumn, following new advice from The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Vulnerable adults and frontline workers will be among the groups of people the fourth Covid later this year.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of COVID-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said in a statement: “Last year’s autumn booster vaccination programme provided excellent protection against severe COVID-19, including against the Omicron variant.
“We have provided interim advice on an autumn booster programme for 2022 so that the NHS and care homes are able to start the necessary operational planning, to enable high levels of protection for more vulnerable individuals and frontline healthcare staff over next winter.”
He also said that the advice will be updated as they continue to review the scientific data. So who is set to get the fourth vaccine later this year?
Who will be offered the Covid booster in autumn?
The following groups of people could be offered the Covid booster in autumn:
- Residents in a care home for older adults and staff
- Frontline health and social care workers
- Everyone 65 years of age and over
- Adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group
Older people and people with underlying health conditions, especially people who are immunosuppressed, have been disproportionately affected by Covid throughout the pandemic, so prioritising people in these groups aims to protect them from becoming severely unwell.
Final plans for the autumn rollout of the second Covid booster are yet to be released.
The JCVI also recommends that people are are eligible for the spring booster which is currently being rolled out (specifically adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed), still make sure to get their vaccine.
