Coronavirus cases are rising across the country again as we appear to be heading for a fourth wave.
Many people are wondering who will be eligible for a vaccine booster this autumn, and when they can get theirs.
More than seven million people are in line to get the jab in the latest roll-out, and according to figures obtained by the Mirror more than five million people have already had it.
The autumn booster is for all adults aged 50 and over, those aged five to 49 with health conditions that put them at greater risk, pregnant women, care home workers and household contacts of people with weakened immune systems.
There are no plans to roll-out the booster plans to healthy people aged under 50.
There are approximately seven million people in England who are eligible for the vaccine and five million have been given so far.
NHS director of vaccinations and screening, Steve Russell, told the Mirror: “Thanks to the continued unwavering efforts of NHS staff, just a month into the latest covid vaccine drive, we have already delivered five million doses of the autumn booster - protecting millions against the worst effects of coronavirus this winter.
“With over 7,000 people currently in hospital with Covid-19, along with a difficult flu season in the Southern Hemisphere, we must not lose sight of why this life-saving vaccine is so important – that is why NHS staff are pulling out all the stops to keep the threat of the ‘twindemic’ at bay this winter, delivering vaccines at thousands of sites across the country every day.
"I urge anyone eligible for a vaccine to book now either online or by calling 119.”
According to the latest data, the percentage of people testing positive for coronavirus rose in England for the week ending September 17, meaning around one in 65 people had the virus.
Approximately 1.1 million people in private households tested positive for Covid in the latest UK survey, which covers the seven days to September 17 in England and the week to September 30 in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Two vaccines have been approved that can be used as boosters this autumn and winter - one from Moderna and the second from Pfizer.
Both have been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to target both the original and Omicron strains of the virus.
You can book online here or by calling 119 to book your vaccine.
The booking service is available for those who are already fully vaccinated and need their autumn booster.
It is also available for:
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1st and 2nd doses for people who are 5 years old and over
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additional primary doses for people with a severely weakened immune system aged 5 years old and over
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1st booster for people aged 16 years old and over, plus at-risk children aged 12 to 15 years old
