The UK government announced on Friday that it would be rolling out a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose as a booster shot to everyone aged 50 and over, to increase protection against it. coronavirus And prevent hospitalization in the winter months. The Scientific Advisors to the Independent Joint Committee on Immunization and Immunization (JCVI) recommends that an additional dose be offered in the autumn months.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it has accepted that advice and that free doses will be given to people over 50 and health workers and National Health Service (NHS) workers in the coming months. I combined on Immunization and Immunization to offer autumn COVID-19 boosters to individuals aged 50 and over, those living and staffing in care homes for older adults, frontline health and social care workers, unpaid carers, individuals The independent advice of the Committee is accepted. Health Secretary Steve Barkley said the clinical risk groups include ages five to 49 and household contacts of immunosuppressed people.
Viruses spread more easily in cold weather because people mix indoors, so the risk of getting COVID-19 is higher. He said it is vitally important that the most vulnerable groups receive a booster vaccine to strengthen their immunity against severe winter disease and reduce pressure on the NHS. The vaccination scheme is also being extended to the annual flu vaccine, which is usually given free of charge to the elderly and vulnerable groups.
The flu virus can also be highly contagious at this time of year, so today I’m also announcing that all people age 50 and older, elementary school children and 7-year-olds are among those eligible for free flu vaccination this year. The year will include secondary school students. and 9, as well as people in clinical risk groups, unpaid caregivers and household contacts of people who are immunocompromised, Barclay said. The JCVI had earlier recommended that a fourth COVID dose be given to people over 65 years of age.
But the independent advisory body has now revised its guidance after considering the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron waves of the virus. “The committee considered the benefits of aligning the COVID-19 program with the recent epidemiology of the BA.4 and BA.5 waves, as well as the flu vaccine rollout, concluding that expanding the proposal to those at high risk is necessary. Will provide security. Keep more and more people out of the hospital with serious illness,” JCVI said.
This comes as the latest Office of National Statistics data showed a 29 per cent rise in COVID-19 infections in the country last week. The figure of around 3.5 million test positive in the week to 6 July is the biggest since mid-April, but well below the UK’s record high of 4.9 million at the end of March.
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