Hundreds of thousands of individuals are set to receive a COVID-19 booster this week as the NHS spring vaccination programme opens up to all those eligible.
The programme follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) recommendation last month that those at the highest risk of severe COVID-19 should be offered an extra booster.
Around five million people are eligible in line with the advice, which includes adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults, and individuals aged five years and over with a weakened immune system.
The NHS said on Monday that it had issued 1.25 million invites so far, adding that a further one million people will be asked to book a vaccine appointment this week.
Those invited should make sure their appointment takes place at least three months after their last dose. The last appointments in the spring programme will be offered on 30 June.
There will be around 3,000 sites across England, with the majority of appointments being delivered in communities by pharmacies and GPs.
NHS director of vaccinations and screening, Steve Russell, said: “The COVID-19 vaccine still has a crucial role to play in protecting those at greatest risk of severe illness from the virus, including those with a weakened immune system as well as all aged 75 and above.”
“I would urge anyone eligible for this extra protection to get their spring COVID-19 vaccination at the earliest opportunity and give yourself peace of mind this summer,” he said.
Included in its advice, the JCVI recommended that vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK and Novavax should be used for the spring programme.
As with previous campaigns, the vaccine offered will depend on a person’s age and local supply considerations, with all eligible children aged under 12 years to be offered a children’s formulation of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine.
The committee already advised that an autumn booster should be given to those at a higher risk of severe COVID-19, with the spring booster intended to bridge the gap between the two programmes and allow those who are most vulnerable to be well protected throughout the summer.
The advice represents the JCVI’s new scaled-back approach for future vaccination campaigns, prioritising boosters only for those considered to be at risk of serious illness.