Spring booster jab to be offered to care home residents, over 75s and immunosuppressed

Care home residents, the over 75s and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed will be invited to receive an additional COVID booster vaccine to maintain their protection against severe COVID-19.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said that immunity from the vaccination declines over time and many care home residents and oldest adults received their most recent vaccine dose in September or October 2021.

These individuals are at much higher risk of severe COVID-19. Therefore, as a precautionary strategy to maintain high levels of immunity, an extra spring dose is advised around six months after the last vaccine dose.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “We know immunity to COVID-19 begins to wane over time. That’s why we’re offering a spring booster to those people at higher risk of serious COVID-19 to make sure they maintain a high level of protection. It’s important that everyone gets their top-up jabs as soon as they’re eligible.

“The JCVI will keep under review whether the booster programme should be extended to further at-risk groups.

“This is a national mission – the vaccines are the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones and I urge everybody to get your jabs as soon as you can."

'An extra spring dose of vaccine is advised'

The NHS has been asked to prepare to offer those eligible a vaccine from around six months after their last dose and will set out further details in due course.

It will be up to health departments in the four UK nations to decide individually whether to accept the JCVI’s advice.

Despite uncertainties around how the pandemic will develop through the summer, the JCVI believes winter is likely to remain the season when the threat from COVID-19 is greatest, both for individuals, the NHS and care homes.

As such, the JCVI has provided additional interim advice to ministers for the purposes of forward planning that a further booster in the autumn of 2022 is likely to be advised for people who are at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of COVID-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said: “Last year’s booster vaccination programme has so far provided excellent protection against severe COVID-19.

“To maintain high levels of protection for the most vulnerable individuals in the population, an extra spring dose of vaccine is advised ahead of an expected autumn booster programme later this year.”