The NHS is urging three groups of people to come forward for a potentially “life saving” vaccination, with bookings opening today. Around 7.5 million people in England are eligible for the spring COVID-19 jab.
The online booking system opens on March 25, with appointments starting from April 1. Although we are now five years on from the start of the Covid pandemic, NHS England has warned that the virus “continues” to circulate and can be “highly dangerous”.
According to NHS figures, hospitals saw an average of more than 1,000 beds a day taken up by Covid patients over the winter just gone.
The vaccine provides protection against different strains of the Covid virus and helps reduce the risk of catching and spreading it.
It also minimises the risk of serious illness or needing to go to hospital if you do catch it.
Surveillance data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on last year’s spring COVID-19 vaccination programme showed that those who received a vaccine were more than 40% less likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid for up to two months after vaccination, compared to those who did not receive one.
Encouraging people to book their jabs, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS England’s national medical director, said: “Previous immunity – either from having the virus or from a previous vaccination – can wane over time, so it is vital that those who are at higher risk top up their protection – with new evidence showing those who have received a Covid jab are 40% less likely to be admitted to hospital with the virus in the following two months.”
Those eligible for this year’s spring Covid vaccine include:
- Adults aged 75 years and over
- Residents in care homes for older adults
- People with a weakened immune system who are at a greater risk from severe illness.
Prof Powis continued: “This spring, the NHS is offering the COVID-19 vaccine to protect those that are at highest risk of getting seriously unwell if they catch the virus – so if you are aged 75 or over, in a care home for older adults, or if you or your child have a weakened immune system, please do make an appointment for your vaccine as soon as possible.
“We are contacting everyone who is eligible for the jab via text, email, NHS App messages or letters but you don’t need to wait for an invite to book – just visit the NHS website, use the NHS App or call 119 now to book your appointment.”
The vaccines will be administered at pharmacies and GP practices, and they will continue to run until June 17. As well as booked appointments, there will be thousands of walk-in appointments available every day, with a full list of local locations available on the NHS website.
The NHS will send millions of invites out via text, email, NHS App messages or letters to remind those who are eligible to come forward, but they do not have to wait for the invite to book.
Anyone eligible who has not received any previous doses should still get vaccinated during this year’s spring offer, to help protect against serious illness.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
