The Government has been advised to provide an autumn Covid-19 booster programme in preparation for winter - however as expected, they will be prioritised for the most vulnerable.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recommended the new jabs to help protect against hospital admission and death during a period when individuals and the health service are at their most vulnerable. It has put vulnerable adults alongside frontline social care and health workers at the front of the queue, the Mirror reports.
The recommendations come amid the rollout of the spring booster programme, with the JCVI calling on those who are eligible to continue coming forward. They include adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults, and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed.
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
- Adults aged 16 to 64 years who are in a clinical risk group
Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said that last year’s autumn booster programme provided “excellent protection” against Covid-19. Last year’s autumn booster vaccination programme provided excellent protection against severe Covid-19, including against the Omicron variant.
“We have provided interim advice on an autumn booster programme for 2022 so that the NHS and care homes are able to start the necessary operational planning, to enable high levels of protection for more vulnerable individuals and frontline healthcare staff over next winter. As we continue to review the scientific data, further updates to this advice will follow.”
The Department of Health said it has welcomed the recommendations.
