Public unaware of six month wait for Covid booster jab
A minimum wait of six months is required between the second and third dose
The Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Clinical Commission (BLMK CCG) have heard that the public are not aware they have to wait six months for the Covid booster jab.
Over 4.5 million people will be eligible for a booster in the coming weeks, but only after a minimum of six months has elapsed since their second dose.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recommended that a third jab be administered to those at much higher risk of serious disease.
Frontline health and social care workers, people over the age of 50 and 16 to 49 year olds with underlying health conditions are amongst those eligible.
Dr Christopher Longstaff, a Bedfordshire GP told the BLMK CCG:
"At the moment, patients are asking for it early and I think it is really bad for someone to come forward to ask for a vaccination and be met with a negative answer.
"As soon as someone comes forward to ask for it the booster we should be absolutely embracing them positively, and say yes, yes, yes."
Daniel Flacknoe, Public Health consultant at Buckinghamshire Council told Greatest Hits:
"We have reason to think that there's some decline in the amount of protection you get from acquired immunity over time.
"That's true whether that immunity is acquired from having COVID or having been vaccinated against COVID.
"Either way, there's some evidence that over six months or so, the amount of protection that gives you starts to go down a bit.
"And as we're going into winter when there are more seasonal viruses around and people are spending more time indoors because of the weather.
"The importance of topping up that level of immunity for the people who are most vulnerable and most high risk for severe disease or through their profession is what's prompted this national booster programme."
The programme, which is already underway will see people inoculated with one dose of the Pfizer vaccine or half a dose of the Moderna vaccine.
This is regardless of the type of vaccine they had before (unless there is a medical reason to have a different one).