By ‘Strong possibility’ we will need an annual COVID jab says JCVI
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has said there is a “strong possibility” that those who receive an annual flu vaccine will also need a COVID jab every autumn.
This comes just one day after the government announced plans to roll out an additional booster jab for over 75s and all over 12s considered to be high risk.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Professor Adam Finn said it was important that older people and the vulnerable came forward.
“Whether that goes on year after year like the flu programme is still an open question and depends on what coronavirus does to us in the interim,” he continued.
“But it’s a strong possibility that we may have a winter-time campaign, combined with the flu vaccine campaign, going forward.
“We have to make the best call that we can.
“And I think the public have done a lot to mitigate the seriousness of the pandemic by being cautious, avoiding transmitting infection to each other, taking vaccines, wearing masks and so on.
“And I hope they’ll go on doing that.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid added: “Thanks to our COVID-19 vaccination rollout, we are already the freest country in Europe. It has saved countless lives, reduced pressure on the NHS and is allowing us to learn to live with the virus.
“We know immunity to COVID-19 begins to wane over time.
“That’s why we’re offering a spring booster to those people at higher risk of serious COVID-19 to make sure they maintain a high level of protection.
“It’s important that everyone gets their top-up jabs as soon as they’re eligible.”
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