Vulnerable people in the UK , including those over the age of 75, are set to be offered their fourth Covid vaccination to protect them as immunity wanes.
The newly announced plans comes following recommendations from the Joint Committee on Vaccination (JCVI) which will see over 75s and the immunosuppressed the chance to receive their fourth vaccination before a wider rollout is expected.
The Government has continued to credit the successful rollout of the vaccinations as restrictions have eased.
Speaking on Monday (February 21) about the plans Boris Johnson said: “The pandemic is not over but thanks to the incredible vaccine rollout we are now one step closer towards a return to normality and finally giving people back their freedoms while continuing to protect ourselves and others.”
The number of those who have received their third dose or booster currently stands at 57 per cent in the UK.
More locally, Salford Central & University currently only have 37 per cent of their population fully vaccinated.
As immunity from vaccination wanes over time those aged over 75 are at risk from severe infection with their last doses coming between September and October last year.
The Prime Minister’s announcement came alongside plans to ‘live with Covid’ ending the legal right to self-isolate following a positive test.
These two groups are also set for another dose in Autumn when the rollout will likely be widened to include the over 50s. But there has still been no comment from the government on any plans to widen the rollout further.
Israel was the first country to offer a fourth vaccine while the US, Chile, and Australia are so far focusing their efforts on those that have weakened immune systems.
Credit for main image: Raimond Spekking