- Croydon University Hospital staff gave ‘thumbs up’ as soon as injections were made
- No10 vaccine advisors cleared on Tuesday after weeks of deliberation
- Boosters shown to reduce risk of severe COVID by 20 times over 60 years
The first booster COVID vaccines were delivered to the NHS and care workers today as the drive for top-up immunity in more than 30 million Britons is up and running.
Staff at Croydon University Hospital in London gave ‘thumbs up’ as soon as they received the injection, just 48 hours after the booster plan was signed.
The government’s vaccine advisory panel cleared the move on Tuesday after weeks of deliberation, with those over 50, frontline workers and vulnerable Britons now eligible.
Its decision was justified last night when a major Israeli study on people over 60 showed that a booster reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 by 20 times.
Eligible Brits are only being invited to come forward if they have done their second jab at least six months ago, in what officials called a ‘sweet spot’ for a booster.
MailOnline’s analysis of official data shows that currently only 1.6 million Britons meet the criteria for top-up jabs due to a six-month wait.
The third dose will be introduced in the top nine priority groups during the initial campaign, with the elderly, physicians and caregivers again at the forefront.
Maternity activist Katherine Cargill became the first person in the UK to get a booster. The rollout comes barely 48 hours after the plans were signed
De Brim gives a thumbs up after receiving her third COVID jab at Croydon University Hospital in south London
MailOnline’s analysis of official data shows that only 1.6 million Britons are currently meeting the booster’s criteria due to a six-month wait. And the first 32 million people weren’t fully immunized until June 24. However, this figure would include hundreds of thousands of under-50s, as the uptake is not 100 percent among those eligible for the third dose. Boosters should be given at least six months after the second dose, meaning the majority in the group cannot be jawed until November and December
The above group will be the first to receive a dose of the COVID vaccine. UK vaccine advisers say the ‘sweet spot’ for a booster is about six months after a second dose is given. The booster shots are set to be rolled out in descending order from group one – elderly residents in care homes – to nine.
Katherine Cargill, an obstetrics support worker at Croydon University Hospital, was one of the first to get a booster today.
She said: ‘I took it before the winter season to make sure I’m safe, to make sure I can continue to work, I can spend time with my family, and so I I can continue my studies.
‘I would definitely encourage you to have your booster shot when you are invited to do so.’
Priority is being given to NHS and care workers as they work with sick or elderly people who are most susceptible to falling seriously ill with COVID.
Hospital centers today began immunizing frontline health and care workers and identifying other eligible patients.
GP-led local immunization services will follow suit in the coming days, with mass vaccination centers and pharmacies starting to deliver doses next week.
The decision to go ahead with the booster proved correct last night when a major Israeli study on over a million elderly showed that the booster reduced the risk of severe COVID-19 by 20 times. The research, led by the country’s health ministry, looked at more than 1.1 million Israelis who were double-jawed for at least five months. The Y axis shows the reduction in the probability of testing positive for COVID after a booster, with a higher number representing a lower risk. The x axis is the number of days since the booster vaccine
Israel pulled the trigger in August on a booster vaccine program, which has stabilized the spiraling outbreak. The country recorded 136 hospital admissions in the week till September 12, down from a peak of 165 in the last week of August
Eligible people will be contacted by the NHS…
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