The COVID-19 vaccination programme has provided a critical defence against severe infection. However, immunity protection levels decline over time. This is why Wales and Scotland has launched a spring booster programme which is currently being rolled out, with England now joining them. This aims to bolster protection levels as many of the oldest recipients received their last vaccine in autumn 2021 and as such, their immunity protection levels may now be on the decline.
Why it is so important?
This latest rollout of vaccines follows recommendations made by the UK’s vaccine advisers. This is amidst rising cases of COVID-19 in the UK with an estimated one in every twenty people infected according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. This recent rise in cases has been attributed to the easing of restrictions which has enabled continued mixing, in addition to waning protection from vaccines.
What next?
Health Secretary Sajid Javid has encouraged people to behave sensibly if they have symptoms of the virus . This is in spite of there being no current legal obligation to isolate or test. He stated:
“I think we need to step back and think about how we learn to live with Covid and focus on our very best form of defence and that’s the vaccination programme.”
This continued stance from the Government to live with COVID-19 is reliant on the public participating in the vaccination programme, with medical professionals emphasising the importance of vaccination as a defence for the UK and the vulnerable.
Who is eligible?
Roughly five million people in the UK will be eligible to book the spring booster jab. The first 600,000 people will be invited this week commencing 21 March 2022. This booster will be administered about six months after the previous dose to the following individuals as a priority:
- Adults aged 75 years or over
- Residents in a care home for older adults
- Individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed, or have weakened immune systems.
With rising infection levels and continued easing of restrictions, it has meant more mixing is occurring and the threat of COVID-19 still remains, particularly to the more vulnerable.
