NHS Covid booster jabs will soon be available to those born before a specific year. The booster scheme is set to commence on October 3 and run until December 20. Individuals born in 1960 or earlier are among those eligible for the booster shots. According to Census data, in 2021, there were 12.7 million people aged over 65 in the UK, most of whom can benefit from this initiative.
Those who fall under the following criteria will be eligible for the booster jab: individuals aged over 64, those aged between six months and 64 with underlying health conditions, residents and staff of elderly care homes, and frontline health and social care workers. The NHS will be contacting eligible individuals directly, but appointments can also be booked through various channels including the NHS App, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, or by calling 119.
It is important to note that if eligible for the flu jab as well, individuals may be offered both vaccines simultaneously, although receiving the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine alongside the flu or Covid jab is not recommended. The NHS Covid booster jabs are offered by four companies: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK, and Novavax. High street chemists and private clinics may also offer the Pfizer Covid vaccine directly to the public for a fee ranging from £45 to £99.
To qualify for these vaccines, individuals must be aged 12 or over and should not have received a Covid vaccine within the last three months. The booster campaign utilises updated mRNA vaccines provided by Pfizer or Moderna to offer protection against recent strains of Covid. Stay informed about your eligibility and vaccination options to safeguard your health during the upcoming season.