Coronavirus booster vaccine: ‘Important’ NHS update on Covid booster for the over-40s
Booster jabs available for people in UK over 40 confirms JCVI
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This means that all people aged 40 to 49 years old who have not previously been eligible will soon be able to book an appointment for a booster. A coronavirus booster vaccine dose helps improve the protection you have from your first two doses of the vaccine. This comes as Prime Minister Boris Johnson pleaded with Britons to get their booster jab to protect against coronavirus amid “climbing” Covid cases.
The NHS website notes that there is an “important” update on its booster information.
It says that all people aged 40 to 49 years old who have not previously been eligible will soon be able to book an appointment for a booster dose using the NHS service.
The health body says: “We will update this site with more information when these appointments are available to book. We expect this to be from Monday 22 November 2021.”
At the moment you can use the service to book an appointment for a booster dose if it’s been 152 days since your second dose and you’re aged 50 and over, or are aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts you at high risk from COVID-19.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson urged the over 50s and 60s in the UK to get their booster shots amid “climbing” cases of the virus.
As well as booster jabs becoming available for the over 40s, he has said that 16 and 17-year-olds will be offered a second vaccination.
The Prime Minister emphasised this importance, saying “we need to see those 50-plus groups and the 60-plus groups” to come forward and get their booster jabs.
This is partially because this age group can “very, very easily” end up in hospital.
Currently, you can get your booster dose at a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site if you had your second dose at least six months ago and you are in a certain group.
These groups include those aged 50 and over, aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts you at high risk from COVID-19, or if you are a frontline health or social care worker.
Most people will be offered a booster dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine or Moderna vaccine, though some people may be offered a booster dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine if they cannot have the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccine.
The Government notes that recent UK and international data have provided early signs of a slight fall in the levels of protection against severe disease from the primary doses, in those who had their initial vaccines a long time ago.
The UK Government states: “The vast majority of the UK adult population has received a COVID-19 vaccine since the programme was launched in December 2020.”
This includes 87.9 percent of the population who have received a first dose and 80 percent who have received two doses.
The JCVI advice comes as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes the first data on booster vaccine effectiveness in the UK.
The analysis shows that people who take up the offer of a booster vaccine increase their protection against symptomatic COVID-19 infection to over 90 percent.
The NHS notes that as with all medicines, the COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects, but not everyone gets them.
Indeed, as with your previous dose, the NHS says that common side effects are the same for all COVID-19 vaccines used in the UK, and include:
- Having a painful, heavy feeling and tenderness in the arm where you had your injection – this tends to be worst around one to two days after the vaccine
- General aches, or mild flu-like symptoms
You can rest and take paracetamol to help make you feel better.
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