Starting from Monday, NHS teams will begin administering vaccines to older adults residing in care homes, while other eligible individuals, including those aged 75 and over, some with weakened immune systems, and older care home residents, will be able to receive their jabs from mid-April. Appointments for these individuals can be booked starting Wednesday 5 April.
The rollout follows guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which recommended that older individuals were more likely to experience severe disease and would benefit most from an additional vaccine dose this spring.
Some immunosuppressed individuals aged five and over, such as those who have had organ transplants or blood cancer, and those undergoing chemotherapy, will also be offered a booster jab. Eligible individuals will receive invitations via the NHS App, text messages, or letters. Appointments should be scheduled at least three months after the last dose. Vaccines will be available at around 3,000 sites in England, with most jabs given in pharmacies and GP surgeries. The last spring booster appointments will be available on 30 June.
In Wales, eligible individuals will be offered booster appointments between 1 April and 30 June. In Scotland, the vaccine rollout will begin with people living in care homes, followed by over-75s starting from 11 April and immunosuppressed individuals aged five and over from 24 April. In Northern Ireland, spring boosters will be available from 12 April, with most invitations being sent through GPs.
