People at greater danger of extreme COVID must be given a booster within the autumn, officers have mentioned.
A smaller group of individuals, comparable to those that are older or are immunosuppressed, ought to get an additional booster within the spring, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) additionally suggested.
It added that “emergency surge vaccine responses” to focus on extra individuals could possibly be wanted if a brand new variant emerges that’s totally different sufficient from Omicron.
The 2022 COVID autumn booster programme launched again in early September, and since then greater than 82% of individuals aged 75 and over have obtained the jab.
A complete of 64.5% of these aged 50 and over have additionally had a booster vaccination.
However, uptake of an preliminary third dose has declined, with lower than 0.1% of eligible individuals coming ahead every week since April final yr.
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Similarly, the variety of these opting to have their first vaccine dose, which has been broadly obtainable since 2021, has plateaued throughout all age teams in latest months.
“The COVID-19 vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population, while helping to protect the NHS,” mentioned chair of COVID vaccination on the JCVI, Professor Wei Shen Lim.
“That is why we have advised planning for further booster vaccines for persons at higher risk of serious illness through an autumn booster programme later this year.
“We will very shortly additionally present remaining recommendation on a spring booster programme for these at biggest danger.”
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When does the current booster scheme close?
In England, the closure of the current autumn booster campaign and the first booster offer will be on 12 February 2023.
Everyone who is eligible to receive the dose has been “strongly” encouraged to come forward before then.
The latest government data shows 15,749 people tested positive for COVID in England in the seven days until 14 January.
In the same time frame, 814 people died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus.
Source: information.sky.com”