With a recent upsurge in Covid cases on the Isle of Wight, confusion has emerged over who is eligible for booster vaccinations.
A ‘spring booster’ programme was announced at the end of March and was set to run until the early summer, with five million booster vaccines available to be dished out by the NHS.
92,000 Islanders had at least three doses
Recent data from the health body shows more than 92,000 Islanders have had at least three doses of a Covid vaccine as officials hope a booster would strengthen our body’s response to the virus.
But just who is eligible and where can you get it? Here’s what the NHS and other government bodies have said …
How many Covid vaccinations have people had?
For many of those offered another booster dose, it will be their fourth jab — or second booster. For those immunosuppressed, it may even be a fifth — a third booster.
The majority of the adults who have so far taken up the vaccine offer have had three — with only one booster.
The booster programme was expanded to include anyone aged 18 and over in November 2021 in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant.
Who can have another?
The ‘spring dose’ of booster vaccinations is only available to certain groups, as determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
They are: adults over 75 years old; residents in a care home for older adults; and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed.
When can I have it?
It is advised a booster vaccine dose should be taken approximately six months after your last one.
Which vaccine will I be offered?
Eligible adults will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Those under 18 and needing a booster will only be offered the Pfizer vaccine.
How do I book one?
You will only be able to book a fourth, or fifth, Covid vaccination if you have been invited by the NHS.
To do so, either call 119, the NHS’s dedicated Covid line, or online through the National Booking System.
The NHS’s advice if you think you are eligible and have not been invited is to book a vaccination or find a walk-in site near you.
Where can I get a booster?
The main vaccination centre at the Riverside Centre, in Newport, is offering vaccination slots still although it has changed its opening times.
In July, the centre is now only open 8am to 8pm on Fridays, for those aged 12+, and 9am to 6pm on Sundays for those between 5 and 11.
Could future Covid booster vaccines be necessary?
The JCVI said in May that a further dose is likely to be advised for those who are at a higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19.
That could start from the autumn but has yet to be officially confirmed, only interim advice has been published for operational planners in the NHS, care homes and wider community health settings.
- For more information, you can visit the NHS’s dedicated Website.
- Finding a walk-in Covid vaccination site
- Book a vaccine
- How to get a booster dose
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
