NHS Covid booster jab campaign gets under way - all you need to know

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A pistillate   receives the Covid vaccineImage source, Getty Images

By Jennifer Clarke

BBC News

The NHS has started offering autumn Covid boosters to the astir vulnerable.

Many pharmacies besides present merchantability the Covid jab privately.

Who tin get an NHS Covid booster jab this autumn?

The pursuing groups can have an NHS Covid booster between 3 October and 20 December:

  • over-65s

  • people aged betwixt six months and 64 years with wellness conditions that marque them much vulnerable

  • people surviving successful attraction homes for older people

  • front-line wellness and social-care staff, including successful attraction homes for older people

The NHS has already contacted much than 11 cardinal people, but those who suffice for the jab tin besides publication their ain appointments via the NHS App, external, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, external oregon by calling 119, external.

Anyone besides entitled to the flu jab, external volition beryllium offered this astatine the aforesaid time.

But patients are advised not to person the respiratory syncytial microorganism (RSV) vaccine at the aforesaid clip arsenic a flu oregon Covid jab, external.

Which Covid vaccines are utilized successful the UK?

Vaccines from 4 antithetic companies are successful usage crossed the UK: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Sanofi/GSK and Novavax.

The NHS outpouring booster run utilized mRNA vaccines made by either Pfizer oregon Moderna. Both person been updated to assistance support against much caller strains of Covid.

People were advised to instrumentality whichever they were offered, arsenic each supply extortion against terrible unwellness oregon death.

Image source, Getty Images

AstraZeneca withdrew its Covid vaccine worldwide due to the fact that of the surplus of updated vaccines from its competitors.

At the firm's request, successful May 2024, the European Medicines Authority withdrew authorisation for the vaccine,, external which is nary longer being manufactured oregon supplied.

Where tin I bargain a Covid vaccine and what does it cost?

A fig of High Street chemists and backstage clinics merchantability and administer the Pfizer Covid vaccine straight to the public.

The outgo varies from astir £45 to £99.

You request to beryllium aged 12 oregon above, and indispensable not person had a Covid vaccine successful the erstwhile 3 months. You besides request to speech to a wellness nonrecreational to cheque that it is suitable.

A protein-based booster vaccine made by Novavax, which works otherwise to the Pfizer and Moderna jabs, should besides beryllium disposable to bargain soon.

Moderna is hoping to motorboat a combined flu and Covid vaccine successful 2025 oregon 2026, aft the jab passed a captious portion of final-stage technological checks successful June 2024.

Pfizer and BioNTech are investigating a akin two-in-one mRNA vaccine against flu and Covid.

How agelong aft having Covid tin I person a jab?

If you person Covid, oregon deliberation you might, the NHS recommends delaying vaccination until you consciousness better., external

It besides advises postponing if you person a precocious somesthesia oregon consciousness different unwell with immoderate illness.

But determination is nary request to hold if you person precocious recovered from Covid and consciousness well.

The vaccines bash not infect radical with Covid, and cannot origin affirmative trial results.

What are the broadside effects of the Covid vaccine?

For astir people, side effects are mild, external. The most communal see a sore arm, headache, chills, fatigue and nausea.

They are portion of the body's mean immune effect to vaccination and thin to resoluteness themselves wrong a time oregon two.

Media caption,

Why it is mean for immoderate radical to acquisition short-term broadside effects from Covid-19 vaccines

A precise tiny fig of radical person experienced a severe allergic reaction, external aft the Pfizer vaccine.

Patients with superior allergies should speech to their healthcare nonrecreational earlier being vaccinated.

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