All adults in the UK aged 40 and over will now be eligible for a booster coronavirus jab.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced the change following new advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). People aged 40 and over will be able to get a third jab six months after their second dose. Previously, only over 50s and those at high risk from COVID-19 were eligible for a booster jab.
To date, around 12.6 million people have had three doses of a COVID-19 vaccine in the UK – with boosters seen as a significant measure for improving people’s protection against the virus.
Meanwhile, the Government has also confirmed it is accepting a recommendation for second doses to be given to 16 and 17-year-olds at least 12 weeks after their initial jabs. The advice, which also comes from the JCVI, follows a review of the latest scientific evidence around the vaccination of young people.
