Covid-19 spring booster bookings now open to patients

Appointment bookings are now open to patients eligible for this year’s spring Covid-19 booster programme.

The national booking system opened on 7 April for appointments to be booked from 13 April. Patients can also book by calling 119 for free.

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The vaccine is available for patients who are 75 or older by 30 June, residents who are in care homes for older adults, or individuals aged six months and over who have a weakened immune system.

This eligibility criteria is the same across all four nations in the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has advised that those eligible, who are ‘more likely to become seriously ill from Covid-19’, get the vaccination to ‘top up their protection’.

UKHSA surveillance data relating to last spring’s programme shows that those who received a vaccine were around 55% less likely to be admitted to hospital with Covid-19 in the five to nine weeks following vaccination, compared to those who remained unvaccinated.

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The UKHSA said: ‘Getting your Covid-19 vaccine is very convenient, with thousands of appointments available across the country every day, usually at pharmacies and GP practices.

‘While having your spring vaccine around six months after your last dose is the usual timeframe, you can have it as soon as three months after a previous Covid-19 vaccine dose.

‘If you are eligible, you can get protection from a spring Covid-19 vaccination even if you have not taken up a Covid-19 vaccine offer in the past.

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‘Most people do not need extra vaccinations to make up for any they have missed, but your doctor may advise a further dose if you have a severely weakened immune system.’

The last available appointments will be on 30 June, with the last day to book on 29 June.