Adults over the age of 18 are now being offered the COVID-19 booster jab, children between the ages of 12-15 can get the 2nd dose and the gap between doses have been halved to combat the latest Omicron variant.
The changes have been announced this afternoon (Monday) on a televised briefing to the nation.
The Government has shortened the gap between the time between the second jab and the booster, from the initial 6 months to 3 months.
12 and 15-year-olds are now eligible for their second jab, with the jab being administered no sooner than 3 months after their 1st dose.
It has also been announced severely immunosuppressed people are given access to another booster – meaning for some, a 4th dose will be made available this winter.
Dr June Raine, the Chief Executive of the Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, has said:
“The public can be confident that our robust regulatory assessment supports the JCVI’s recommended extension to the vaccination campaign.
“This further strengthens our ability to ensure people are protected against COVID-19 and saves lives.”
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Prof Jonathan Van-Tam the Deputy Chief Medical Officer for England has said:
“Here I want to be clear that this is not all doom and gloom at this stage and I do not want people to panic at this stage.
“If vaccine effectiveness is reduced as seems pretty likely to some extent, the biggest effects are likely to be in preventing infections and hopefully there will be smaller effects on preventing severe disease.
“But that is something that is there for scientists to work out in the next few weeks.”
This news comes after Boris Jonson announced at the weekend that masks were to be compulsory again in retail and public transport.
A full on jab picture might put the squeamish off!
All very well saying any one over the age of 18 years, but we need far far better facilities on the Island to go and receive the booster. I’m 66 years old over due for the 6 month booster and still waiting to hear from my GP to make an appointment for Westridge. Online appointments are nothing more than a lottery.
Try getting one. Ha ha what a laugh.
Great, I’m 71 and had my first two jabs in Feb and April. Can anyone tell me just where on the Island I can go to get my booster Jab???
Unfortunately you cant teach stupid so you will have the idiots on here that still thinks its a conspiracy theory in other words, the brain dead.
So thousands more people on the Island trying to get a booster but only being offered a Pharmacy in Southampton when going online.
I’ve tried to book my third jab at Shanklin medical centre juring the last two months, however, I’ve been told two times that they have no opponents available.
I was told to travel to the mainland for my jab, however, I have finally got a date for mid December.
Younger people have no chance of a jab in the near future, not on the island anyway….
This has to be the best joke so far this year; we asked at our GP surgery yesterday, and they said that there are ‘no slots available’. I have been trying all morning to get jabbed over here, and all that is on offer is the mainland, which I have obviously not accepted.
Makes me laugh. Anyone over 18 can now get the booster jab, realy, on the island a lot of my neighbours who are 70 plus have had problems getting one from their GP. I’ve gone nearly 8 months since my second jab. I’ve had two invitations by letter. I phone the number given and they can only give you mainland appointments, Something amiss on the island
All very well but try getting a booster appointment on the Island !!!
Oh great, tonight I got online to try and book a booster on the Island and was told there were appointments available in Totton, Winchester, Reading and Horley (Surrey). Whats up with the Isle of Wight facilities??
Shame you cannot get it from NHS centres on the island, only from GP’s
If you really believe that the vaccines offered by the government work, because you are told they do by the experts, then why don’t people on this beautiful Isle of the Elderly believe in what the WHO says? In as much as it is pointless vaccinating children who are not massively affected by coronavirus, and that booster shots are immoral when third World countries have not had a first vaccine shot…
When the third world contributes instead of always taking from the world, then perhaps it too will be first inline to help itself, instead of forever whinging about their distant past slaverly.
Lady D, I shouldn’t worry too much, there are now not many left there, they have all come to the West to create peace and love and harmony as they do, wherever they choose to settle.
Have tried this morning to book my booster jab on NHS Website and having answered the questions and been told I am eligible to book my 3rd jab, having entered my postcode, it’s still only giving me MAINLAND centres to visit. Come on NHS England, update your website to include IOW Vaccination Centres. Will have to call 119 to book now. Grrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!
All sounds great on paper, you try booking one online only available if you want to visit portsmouth or southampton none available here, pathetic!!
Stop Press. Just heard on the news that the island is to have its very own vaccination bus. It looks to be a pop on, get jabbed and pop off. Looks to be Freshwater, Ventnor, Shanklin and Sandown. One of the health bosses apologised for the confusion this time around and said ” we should do better ” What’s he mean this time around, it was just as bad last time. Perhaps the the bus could double up as the beer and buses trip.
Had my booster today! just had to keep checking for appointments on the Island
“Most Omicron cases are ‘mild’ or show no symptoms at all and existing jabs should provide high protection against hospitalization and death, World Health Organization claims”.