Starting this week, the NHS will be offering additional Covid booster jabs to care home residents.
Aiming to keep Covid rates as low as possible amongst the elderly and vulnerable, the NHS will also make the extra booster available to all over 75s and anybody over 12 who is immunosuppressed. In total, this move means that some five million people will be offered the additional jab.
The NHS expects over half a million people to book a jab this week. Those eligible will be contacted, the NHS says.
According to Sajid Javid, secretary of state for health: “Our phenomenal vaccination programme has saved countless lives and built a wall of defence which has allowed us to learn to live with Covid.
“Following the massive success of the rollout so far, we are now offering over 75s and the most vulnerable a spring booster dose to top up their protection against this virus.”
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, added: “The NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme has not stopped in its efforts to protect people from coronavirus – around five million of the most vulnerable people will be eligible for a spring dose and from tomorrow, we will start giving eligible groups their additional top up in protection.
“We have protected millions of people at speed thanks to the efforts of our staff, aided by volunteers. They will once again rise to the next challenge.”
