The Joint Committee on Vaccine and Immunisation (JVCI) has recommended that the government provides an autumn Covid-19 booster programme in preparation for winter.
Despite the known uncertainties of Covid trends in the year ahead, 'winter will remain the season when the threat from COVID-19 is greatest for individuals and for health communities,' it said.
The purpose of the roll-out is to protect against severe Covid, 'specifically hospitalisation and death', the JVCI's interim report stated.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid-19 vaccination on the JCVI, said that last year’s autumn booster programme provided 'excellent protection' against Covid-19. Read more: Reason some people have never caught Covid and maybe never will He said that as data is reviewed, further updates to the advice given so far will follow.