Warrington to begin spring booster vaccinations this week

In line with new advice set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, residents will be invited for another jab six months after they had their first booster.

The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to be vaccinated, and once invited, people will be able to book their appointment through the national booking service or by calling NHS 119.

Eligible groups include care home residents, people who are 75 and over and people aged 12 and over who are immunosuppressed.

From this week, local NHS teams will also hold vaccine clinics in care homes, with more visits planned in the coming weeks.

More than 555,000 people aged 75 and over are currently eligible for the spring booster dose in the north west, including 27,000 residents in care homes.

GP led teams will continue delivering vaccinations, as well as hundreds of pharmacies and hospital hubs.

Teams will initially be focusing efforts in care homes, making sure the most vulnerable are protected first.

Across the north west, NHS staff and volunteers have delivered 14.5million vaccinations in total, including 3.8million top up jabs since the booster rollout began in September.

Warrington is set to begin spring booster vaccinations this week

Dr Linda Charles-Ozuzu, senior responsible officer for the vaccination programme in the north west, said: “The NHS is continuing to protect the most vulnerable from the virus as the next phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme begins.

“With Covid-19 still circulating, I would like to encourage everyone eligible to come forward and make sure your protection is topped up as we approach the summer months.

“You do not need to contact the NHS, you will be invited to book an appointment when eligible.”

Eligible adults will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, with any eligible people aged between 12 and 18 getting offered the Pfizer vaccine.

Meanwhile, plans to vaccinate the aged five to 11 cohort is due to start nationally in April as planned.

In announcing the offer, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “I have accepted the advice from the independent JCVI to make a non-urgent offer of Covid-19 vaccines to all children aged five to 11 in England.

“The JCVI advice follows a thorough review by our independent medicines regulator, the MHRA, which approved Pfizer’s paediatric vaccine as safe and effective for children aged 5 to 11.

“The NHS will prepare to extend this non-urgent offer to all children during April so parents can, if they want to, take up the offer to increase protection against potential future waves of Covid-19 as we learn to live with this virus.”