The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised booster vaccination to be offered this autumn (2023) for those at higher risk of severe
Covid-19 in its interim advice to government on the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme for 2023.
The JCVI also advised that for a smaller group of people, such as those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed, an extra booster vaccine dose in the spring
should also be planned for.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, Chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: "The Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population,
while helping to protect the NHS.
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 also provide final advice on a spring booster programme for those at greatest risk."
A fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine is not needed at present, as latest data shows first booster provides high levels of protection against Omicron variant among older adults, says the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
After analysing latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), JCVI said: "There is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, or fourth jab,
to the most vulnerable".
Data from UKSHA revealed that single booster dose provides around 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation to those aged 65 and over, even after three months of jab.
However, protection against mild symptomatic infection is short-lived and drops to around 30 per cent by about three months.
The study, which looked at booster doses in those aged over 65, showed that with two vaccine doses, protection against the infection drops to around 70 per cent after three months and to 50 per cent after six months.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on Thursday (May 19) said that an anticipated autumn Covid booster campaign would be aimed at
people aged over 65, care home residents, frontline health and social care workers and all adults in a clinical risk group.
The UK is offering a spring booster to the over-75s, care home residents and immunosuppressed people, and ministers have spoken openly of plans for a further
booster campaign in the autumn.
In interim advice, the JCVI stopped short of recommending another shot for all adults, though said the advice would be reviewed and updated.
"The JCVI's current view is that in autumn 2022, a Covid-19 vaccine should be offered to: residents in a care home for older adults and staff; frontline health
and social care workers; all those 65 years of age and over; and adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group," the UK Health Security Agency said
in a statement.
Prime minister Boris Johnson, who was fiercely criticised for his handling of the early stages of the pandemic, lifted Covid restrictions in England in February,
crediting Britain's quick initial vaccine rollout and the rollout of boosters with breaking the link between cases and deaths.
Well Pharmacy is urging those eligible to take up the offer of a further Covid booster jab this spring.
Adults aged 75 years and over and anyone over 5 years old and are immunosuppressed - such as those who are undergoing chemotherapy or have had an organ
transplant - are entitled to have a further Covid booster jab from mid-April, said one of the UK's largest community pharmacy chains.
Taking part in the vaccination programme again, Well Pharmacy is encouraging people to book another booster as soon as they are contacted by the NHS - which
should be at least six months after their previous booster.
The national booking site for those eligible opens this week.
The jabs have been updated since the vaccines were introduced to now target newer strains of Covid-19, Well said in a press release issued on Wednesday, 5 April.
Thousands of people are still testing positive for Covid each week according to Government data, and - while hospitalisations are down - a large number of people
are still being hospitalised with Covid, so getting jabbed is as important as ever.
And the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recently confirmed that hospital admissions last autumn highlighted that the risk of becoming
seriously ill from coronavirus was noticeably higher in people over 75.
As part of efforts to streamline spending and enhance resource allocation within the healthcare system, the NHS has chosen to cease providing the free
vaccinations for all, which were initially introduced in 2020. Approximately 12 million British citizens will not have access to free flu vaccinations and
Covid-19 boosters during the upcoming winter, according to NHS.
Furthermore, the NHS plans to defer flu vaccine distribution to October, aiming to heighten protection for those aged 65 and older and other eligible groups in
the high-risk winter months. However, this has stirred panic among pharmacies, given their advanced planning based on the initial start date of September 1 for
vaccinations.
On Tuesday (Aug. 8), the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) released NHS guidelines indicating that Covid-19 booster shots, starting from autumn,
will not be provided to individuals aged 50 to 64 who are in otherwise good health. Similar guidance had already been released for flu, rendering 12 million
middle-aged Britons ineligible for free jabs, JCVI said.
Prior to the pandemic, influenza vaccinations were available to healthy adults aged over 65, alongside children and younger adults with medical conditions. Amidst
the pandemic, the distribution of flu vaccinations was expanded to include individuals aged 50 to 64, in alignment with the criteria for Covid-19 boosters.
As the government today (November 15) announced plans to expand Britain's booster programme for Covid-19 vaccinations to cover all adults aged over 40, NHS Confederation welcomed the move.
The announcement follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) statement that all healthy adults aged 40-49 should be offered a booster, six
months after their second dose, and that 16 and 17 year olds should be invited to have a second dose.
Accepting the JCVI's advice, health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said: "All 4 parts of the UK intend to follow the JCVI's advice.
"We know immunity to Covid-19 begins to wane after 6 months and new data published today shows a third dose boosts protection against symptomatic infection to more than 90% - this highlights just how important it is that everyone eligible gets their top-up jabs as soon as possible."
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is encouraging people to come forward for their first and/ or second dose of the Covid vaccine before the free
offer ends on Friday (30 June).
The NHS's world-leading vaccination programme has so far delivered over 146 million Covid jabs.
Building on the success of autumn and spring booster programmes, a seasonal, targeted vaccination offer will remain open for those most at risk, in line with advice
from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: "As we live with Covid without restrictions on our freedoms, it is right that we move towards a more targeted vaccination
offer that prioritises those most at risk, so we can focus our efforts on cutting waiting lists for NHS treatment - one of the Prime Minister's top five priorities.
As the offer for any adult to get a Covid vaccine comes to an end on 30 June, I would urge those who have not yet come forward to choose to have the first and second
Covid vaccine. It takes minutes to get your jab and thousands of sites are open across England."
This year's spring booster programme continues to gather pace, with over two million eligible people receiving their vital top-up dose.
NHS England has agreed to offer an additional payment of £2.50 per jab if pharmacies would be willing to extend the duration of their COVID-19 vaccination
contract until 31st August 2024.
Pharmacies currently providing the autumn vaccination are asked to let their local commissioner know, by 22nd February 2024, if they can provide cover for a
potential Spring booster programme, if the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises in their guidance expected to be published soon.
NHS figures showed that more than 3,500 community pharmacies signed the contract to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations between 1 September 2023 and 31 March 2024, as
part of the autumn booster programme.
The health service is hoping that most of these pharmacies will be able to continue to support the Spring campaign, which will run from 1 April 2024 to 31st
August 2024, to help protect the nation's most vulnerable populations.
For the Spring campaign only, pharmacies would be offered an extra £2.50 per jab in addition to the existing item of service fee of £7.54, NHS England said.
All adults aged 50 years and above are eligible for free flu jabs in England under the autumn Covid-19 booster programme, the Department of Health and Social
Care (DHSC) has announced.
"The flu virus could also be highly infectious at this time of year, so I am also announcing that those eligible for a free flu vaccination this year will include
everyone aged 50 and over, primary school children and secondary school pupils in years 7, 8 and 9, as well as people in clinical risk groups, unpaid carers and
household contacts of those who are immunosuppressed," said new health secretary Steve Barclay.
Commenting on the DHSC's announcement, CCA chief executive Malcolm Harrison said: "We welcome the decision to accept the advice of the JCVI on who can have free
Covid-19 boosters and flu jabs this autumn. Community pharmacies have turbo-charged the Covid-19 vaccination programme over the past 18 months and last year we
witnessed the most successful community pharmacy flu campaign ever."