Ministers today signed the advice of the Joint Vaccination and Vaccination Committee (JCVI) to roll out new injections before the winter. The decision was made as the latest data from the Office for National Statistics suggested 3.5 million people in Britain had Covid last week.
All people age 50 and older, individuals aged five to 49 years in clinical risk groups, and primary care health and social care personnel are all eligible for a new injection.
The Prime Minister said: “Our vaccination program is one of the fastest and most successful in the world.
“Because of our collective efforts, from our NHS getting those jabs, to everyone coming forward to keep themselves and the people around them safe, we were able to open up our country while protecting lives and livelihoods to protect.
“Today we confirmed the next phase in our booster program to keep our defense strong through the fall and winter.
“Vaccinations were our way out of this pandemic, and now they will ensure that Covid can never haunt us in the same way again.”
All eligible groups are encouraged to use the vaccine whenever it is offered, even if they have had a spring booster, as long as it has been at least three months since their last vaccination.
There have been warnings from scientists that a new round of boosters was needed to significantly reduce the risk of hospitalizations and deaths over the winter.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay, who took the advice from the JCVI, said: “Viruses spread more easily in the colder seasons with people socializing indoors, so the risk of contracting Covid is higher.
“It is absolutely vital that the most vulnerable groups receive a booster vaccine to boost their immunity against serious illness in winter to protect themselves and reduce the pressure on the NHS.”
Johnson oversaw the rollout of Britain’s first vaccination program last year, helping the UK become one of the first nations in the world to free itself from pandemic lockdowns.
The UK was victorious after quickly giving shots to all adults in the UK within just seven months and offering a second dose to all by the fall.
He called the program one of his greatest achievements as prime minister earlier this week.
“I am also proud of the leadership I have given,” he told MPs.
“And I will soon leave with my head held high.”
Two new sub-variants of the Omicron strain of the virus are currently spreading across the UK, leading to the latest rise in cases.
The number of infections has risen by nearly 800,000 in a week, with some parts of the country approaching spring record levels.
The number of hospitals also continues to increase.
The ministers say the rollout of the new vaccinations will help reduce the spread of the variants and avoid the need for further measures to tackle the virus.