Covid spring booster vaccine: Who is eligible and how to book

Millions of people in England will be offered a fourth Covid vaccine this week, the NHS says.

The spring booster jab will be offered to vulnerable people from Monday 21 March, with eligible people able to book in their jabs from 7am.

Over 600,000 people are expected to receive invitations to get the jab this week and it will be made available to around five million people.

The NHS will also be in contact with care homes to arrange vaccinations for those who are eligible.

Who is eligible to get the spring booster jab?

Those eligible for the spring booster jab include people over 75, those aged 12 and over who are immunocompromised, and care home residents.

People who can get the vaccine will be given either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “Our phenomenal vaccination programme has saved countless lives and built a wall of defence which has allowed us to learn to live with Covid.

“Following the massive success of the rollout so far, we are now offering over-75s and the most vulnerable a spring booster dose to top up their protection against this virus.”

How can I book the spring booster jab?

If you are eligible for the spring booster jab you will be contacted by the NHS once it’s your turn to receive the vaccine.

When you have an invitation, as with the other jabs, you will be able to book your appointment online through the national booking system or by calling NHS 119.

For care home residents, local NHS teams will be administering vaccines within care home communities.

Will there be another booster jab in autumn?

Javid told BBC Breakfast that it’s “possible there will be an autumn booster campaign, probably for those that are 50 and over, but they haven’t yet made a final recommendation on that”.

While all Covid restrictions have now been lifted, Javid said that if he tested positive for the virus then he would not go to work, urging a “common sense” approach.

He added: “If you’re not feeling well, if you’ve got the symptoms of Covid, then it’s not a good idea to mix with other people - the right idea is to try to spend some time trying to stay away from others.”