​The Covid-19 booster vaccine rollout begins in the UK

The Covid 19 booster jab roll out officially began in the UK as of the 20th September. This will be utilized as a ‘top up’ protection for all groups that received their second vaccination dose over 6 months ago. The government has deemed the booster jab to be necessary after studies cited that the efficacy of both the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines wanes by around 6% every two months after reaching the 6 month mark.

In the early stages of the booster jab rollout, the prioritised groups will be all adults over the age of 50, frontline healthcare workers and those with underlying health conditions that are at higher risk of health complications if they test positive for Covid-19. The booster jab will be administered as a half dose of the usual vaccine which has been determined to be an adequate and safe amount to maintain the full level of protection from the original two doses.

As of today, it is uncertain as to which groups will be next to receive the booster jab and when that might be, and this will all likely depend on the success of the booster jab rollout and when rollout targets are reached. It’s speculated that the booster jab is to be administered as a half dose every 6 months to nurture a consistent level of protection for essential workers along with vulnerable and elderly groups.

As of 20th September, all initial eligible groups to receive the booster jab should have been contacted by the NHS. If you feel that you are eligible and have not yet been contacted, make sure to enquire with your GP or through the NHS hotline.