The NHS is offering a further COVID-19 vaccination this spring to those at greatest risk of severe illness from the virus – and everyone eligible is urged to take the chance to keep protected.
The COVID-19 vaccination spring booster campaign will run from 17th April to 30th June for those eligible, including:
- people aged 75 and over
- older residents in care homes, and
- people with a weakened immune system (also known as immunosuppressed), including patients who have had organ transplants, or who have blood cancer, and those undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
The rollout follows advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), published in March.
The committee said over the course of the pandemic data available from the UK, and internationally, showed older people were more likely to experience severe disease. As a result, they would gain the most from protection from an additional vaccine dose this spring.
The NHS will let those eligible know when they can get the vaccine.
Meanwhile, the current offer of first and second COVID-19 vaccinations for everyone (aged five on or before 31st August last year) will also end on 30th June. First or second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine will then be available during future seasonal campaigns.
Kent County Council’s Deputy Director of Public Health, Dr Ellen Schwartz, said: “While we are all learning to live with COVID-19, the virus remains life-threatening for some – particularly for older people and others with a weakened immune system.
“With vaccination the best defence against what can be a serious illness, everyone who is eligible for the spring booster should take it. It’s free and the NHS will be letting those eligible know when they can book a vaccine appointment.
“I also urge anyone who has yet to have their first or second COVID-19 doses to have them before the current offer ends in June. The virus remains highly infectious and being vaccinated increases your resistance to it – and reduces the risk you spread it to others, including the vulnerable.”
NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening, Steve Russell, also urged those at greatest risk come forward and boost their protection in the coming weeks so they can enjoy the summer with peace of mind.
Steve Russell added COVID continues to be a virus that can cause serious illness and time in hospital. He said there were “still around 8,000 people in hospital with COVID according to the latest data, and the NHS has now treated more than one million COVID in-patients since the pandemic began.”
For more information about COVID-19 visit the NHS’s COVID-19 website and kent.gov.uk here
For more about the spring booster campaign see the UK Health Security Agency update here: Most vulnerable to be offered spring COVID-19 booster – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)