All adults in England are to be offered a covid-19 booster jab by the end of January. The timescale comes after last week’s announcement of boosters being made available to everyone aged 18 and over, and the gap between second dose and booster cut to 3 months.
The NHS is working on plans to make these changes happen, and prioritising the most vulnerable. Until further notice, people should stick to the current vaccination schedule and not try to get a booster early.
When will boosters be available?
Currently, everyone aged 40 and over can book a booster jab, as long as there is a gap of 6 months (182 days) between second and booster doses. You can pre-book an appointment after 5 months, to help with planning.
For those aged 18-39, you will be invited in descending age order – just as with the original vaccination roll-out earlier this year.
We would ask people to be patient – as you were during the spring and summer – and wait to be contacted. The NHS will let you know when you are eligible for a booster vaccine.
The importance of getting vaccinated
Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and everyone else. With the emergence of the Omicron variant, it is even more important than ever.
It is also important to remember that being vaccinated doesn’t mean you can’t catch Covid. But it does mean you are much less likely to get seriously ill with it.
It was recently reported that 90% of people who require the most specialised care to treat covid infections have not been vaccinated. Alongside this, it has also been reported that 1 in 10 people aged 12 or over remain unvaccinated.
Make your vaccination plan
You have plenty of options to get vaccinated, either with a pre-booked appointment or at a walk-in clinic.
For full details of this weeks vaccine bus and pop-up locations, along with walk-in clinics and availability at community pharmacists, visit the Newcastle City Council website’s covid19 vaccination pages.