UK health chiefs crank up plans for spring AND autumn vaccine roll-out (2023)

Britain's universal Covid vaccine programme will be wound down this year as the country settles into post-pandemic life.

Under-50s were today urged to come forward to take up the offer of a booster jab before the scheme is finally axed. Invites will be rescinded within a fortnight, in the first scaling back of the multi-billion pound scheme that consigned lockdowns and the darkest days of the coronavirus crisis to history.

Even the unvaccinated, who want either a first or second dose, should only be able to do so at certain times of the year, health chiefs have said. Experts recommended No10 pushed towards a 'targeted offer', resembling that of the annual flu jab drive.

However, Downing Street's scientific advisers also stated another round of booster vaccines should be dished out this autumn.

Extra Covid jabs will also be rolled out in the spring for the most at-risk Brits, which would likely include the elderly and immunosuppressed.

It will mean that tens of thousands of the country's most vulnerable will have been offered eight coronavirus vaccines by the end of 2023.

Britain's historic inoculation campaign began in December 2020 — less than a year after Covid emerged.

Health advisers credited it for drastically blunting the threat of the virus that saved tens of thousands of lives.

It has allowed the country to press ahead with a post-pandemic life, leaving draconian restrictions in its wake.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises No10, warned today that an emergency surge vaccine response might be required if a new variant with 'clinically significant biological differences' emerges.

However, none of the strains circulating currently, including either the Kraken or Orthrus, warrant any scaling up of the programme.

The autumn Covid booster campaign should be offered to those 'at higher risk of severe Covid', the JCVI said.

It did not specify the exact groups that should be eligible.

But under the campaign— which began in September— over-50s, residents and staff at care homes and frontline health workers were invited.

On top of these groups, five to 49-year-olds who are a clinical risk group, live with an immunosuppressed person or are carers were also offered a booster — in a programme similar to one carried out for the annual flu vaccine.

Latest Government data shows that 64.5 per cent of those aged 50 and over and 82.4 per cent of those aged 75 and over have received their jab.

Meanwhile, healthy adults under the age of 50 who have not taken up the offer of a booster have been given just two-and-a-half weeks to take up the offer before they are no longer eligible.

Invites will be taken away on February 12.

The panel also said the UK should end its universal offer of first and second doses this year, although it did not recommend a timeline.

This means that only certain people will be eligible for the primary course of the vaccine —- the first and second jabs — at certain times of the year.

At present, anyone who was aged five or over on August 31 2022 can still get their primary course at walk-in centres or by using the NHS's national booking service.

The JCVI's recommendations come 'as thetransitioncontinues away from a pandemic emergency response towards pandemic recovery'.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chairman of Covid vaccination on the committee, said: 'The vaccination programme continues to reduce severe disease across the population, while helping to protect the NHS.

'That is why we have advised planning for further booster vaccines for persons at higher risk of serious illness through an autumn booster programme later this year.'

He added: 'We will very shortly also provide final advice on a spring booster programme for those at greatest risk.'

Steve Russell, NHS national director of vaccinations and screening, said: 'Over the last two years the NHS Covid vaccination programme has administered almost 145million doses and as a result, the public have widespread protection from Covid and its variants – a remarkable achievement.

'Following the decision by the government to accept JCVI advice today, I would encourage anyone who has not yet had their Covid booster to book an appointment in the next couple of weeks and make the most of the offer available.'

He added: 'Once the NHS receives updated guidance for the next phase of the vaccination programme, our fantastic NHS staff will make sure the vaccine is as accessible and convenient to those eligible as it has been in each of the previous campaigns.'

The NHS will continue to operate a smaller scale vaccine offer from mid-February onwards to ensure those eligible for first and second doses can still get their jabs.

Heath bosses are yet to decide which vaccine will be used.

But Britons have been given doses of Pfizer or Moderna in previous booster rollouts.

During the autumn 2022 campaign, some were also offered an updated combination version of the booster vaccines, which include a half-dose of the previous vaccine combined with a half-dose of a vaccine against the Omicron variant.

A total of 45million and 43million first and second doses of the vaccine have been administered in England, according to the latest data.

Some 33million booster doses have also been given.

UK-wide Covid restrictions were eased last year, with ministers crediting sky-high immunity rates – from jab rollouts and repeated waves — for the UK being able to ditch economy-crippling curbs.

Britain has remained restriction-free since then, despite two more Covid peaks.

Covid infections have flattened off in recent weeks, with health chiefs crediting the vaccine uptake for stunting the latest influx.

But scientists have raised the alarm over Omicron sub-variants CH.1.1 and XBB.1.5, which have swept across England in recent weeks.

Latest surveillance data shows how the CH.1.1 strain Orthrus — nicknamed after a mythical two-headed dog —accounted for 36.1 per cent of all Covid tests analysed in England on January 14.

Maps suggest it now accounts for 100 per cent of genomic tests of the virus in many regions.

XBB.1.5 — nicknamed'Kraken', after a mythical sea monster—currently accounts for 3.9 per cent of cases in England, according to the same data, and is thought to be the most transmissible strain yet.