Second Covid-19 booster jabs to be offered to over-75s and those at high risk from the virus

Second Covid-19 booster jabs are to be offered to those aged 75 and over and those at highest risk from the virus.

The jabs will be offered to those groups in spring, following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

They will become eligible to receive the vaccination at least 24 weeks after their last booster jab.

Appointments will be received by the first groups from the second week in March.

As well as being offered to people over the age of 75, it will be made available for residents in care homes for older adults, as well as people aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed.

The announcement for Scotland followed shortly after the UK’s health secretary Sajid Javid outlined a similar move for England.

Scotland’s health secretary Humza Yousaf urged people to receive the doses they are eligible for.

“We know that these high priority groups are at higher risk of serious illness from Covid-19, and I therefore welcome the further advice from the JCVI and confirm Scotland will offer a further dose to these people from next month,” he said.

“Vaccination has been our most effective tool against coronavirus, and that will continue to be the case.

“I continue to encourage everyone to receive the doses they are eligible for as and when they become available.”

Deputy chief medical officer Professor Nicola Steedman explained that the additional booster dose will improve people’s level of protection “significantly”.

“Our vaccination programme has been highly successful, with 85% of the eligible population having had a booster or third dose vaccination and the World Health Organisation estimating some 28,000 lives saved to date in Scotland,” she said.

“However, the degree of protection offered by the vaccines wanes over time, which is why booster vaccination is needed to maintain the best protection against Covid-19 for those at highest risk of severe effects of the virus.

“The additional booster dose will improve your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.”

She added: “The primary aim of the Covid-19 vaccination programme continues to be the prevention of severe disease, hospitalisation and mortality, arising from Covid-19.

“I encourage anyone who is still to have any dose of the Covid-19 vaccine to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible.”