England’s National Health Service (NHS) will start accepting bookings for free Covid-19 booster vaccines from eligible individuals on Monday. Anyone aged 75 or older and those with weakened immune systems can make an appointment online on the NHS website, via smartphone app, or by calling 119. Boosters help maintain immunity, which diminishes over time, and this new round of vaccinations aims to build resilience during the spring season by reducing the risk of infection, hospitalisation, and severe illness.
People in care homes, as well as those aged six months or older who are immunosuppressed, are also eligible for the vaccine. Several walk-in centres across the UK offer booster shots as well. Eligible individuals may receive invitations via text messages, letters, emails, or app notifications, but can book their appointments without waiting for an invitation.
The booster vaccines Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, both messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccines updated to counter new Covid variants, are currently in use in the UK. Some private clinics and high street chemists are selling Covid-19 booster doses to individuals aged 12 and above, charging between £45 to £99. A health professional checks whether the booster is suitable for every customer. Pharmadoctor, which assists bookings with some participating pharmacies, reported more than 1,500 sales of the Pfizer vaccine with over 80% of the customers having no underlying health conditions.
Dr Mary Ramsay, Immunisations Director at the UK Health Security Agency, urged high-risk individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible to strengthen immunity. Covid-19 can still cause life-threatening illnesses, especially among vulnerable and older individuals
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