Care home residents, over 75s and immunosuppressed to be offered Spring booster vaccine

Care home residents, over 75s and immunosuppressed can now book a Spring COVID booster jab as new research shows autumn booster starts to wain between three and seven months increasing the risk of hospitalisation and death.

The latest findings, from the Vivaldi study, funded by the UK Health Security Agency, found two vaccine doses were effective at preventing 85 per cent of hospitalisations and 94 per cent of deaths among care home residents between two and 12 weeks after the second dose.

However, protection fell to 54 per cent of hospitalisations and 63 per cent of deaths at three to seven months after vaccination. Once residents were given their booster, in the autumn, protection against hospitalisation was back up to 90 per cent and against deaths to 98 per cent.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our phenomenal vaccination programme has saved countless lives and built a wall of defence which has allowed us to learn to live with COVID.

“Following the massive success of the rollout so far, we are now offering over-75s and the most vulnerable a spring booster dose to top up their protection against this virus.

“Please come forward as soon as you are contacted by the NHS”.

'Around five million of the most vulnerable people will be eligible for a Spring dose'

Research by UKHSA estimates since mid-December some 157,000 hospitalisations have been prevented by booster doses.

But the NHS said hospitals had still treated over 100,000 since the start of the Omicron wave.

NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: “The NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme has not stopped in its efforts to protect people from coronavirus – around five million of the most vulnerable people will be eligible for a Spring dose and from tomorrow, we will start giving eligible groups their additional top up in protection.

“We have protected millions of people at speed thanks to the efforts of our staff, aided by volunteers. They will once again rise to the next challenge.

“There is no need to contact the NHS – when you are eligible for your ‘spring boost’ of protection, we will be in touch so you can book your appointment at one of the hundreds of vaccination sites across the country”.

Adults will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna versions, with those aged between 12 and 18 getting the Pfizer vaccine.

The NHS also continues to offer the vaccine for those who are yet to come forward for one, even if it is your first dose.

Further boosters could be rolled out in the autumn, depending on advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the health secretary, Sajid Javid said this week.