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| Covid booster doses to be offered to over 40s | Covid booster doses to be offered to over 40s |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| All over 40s should be offered a third dose of a Covid vaccine, according to the UK government's vaccine advisors. | All over 40s should be offered a third dose of a Covid vaccine, according to the UK government's vaccine advisors. |
| The move would top up protection and help limit the spread of the virus over winter. | The move would top up protection and help limit the spread of the virus over winter. |
| Three doses cuts the risk of infection by more than 93%, according to the UK Health Security Agency. | |
| The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation also said 16 and 17 year olds, who were initially offered only a single dose, should now get a second. | The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation also said 16 and 17 year olds, who were initially offered only a single dose, should now get a second. |
| So far, 12.6 million people have had a booster dose. They have been given to the over 50s, front-line medical staff and people with health conditions that put them at greater risk. | So far, 12.6 million people have had a booster dose. They have been given to the over 50s, front-line medical staff and people with health conditions that put them at greater risk. |
| Is my Covid vaccine wearing off? | Is my Covid vaccine wearing off? |
| People aged 40-49 years old will be topped up with either Pfizer or a half dose of the Moderna jab. This should be offered six months after the second dose. | People aged 40-49 years old will be topped up with either Pfizer or a half dose of the Moderna jab. This should be offered six months after the second dose. |
| Prof Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England, said: "If the booster programme is success and we have very high uptake, we can massively reduce worry about hospitalisation and death this Christmas and this winter for millions of people. | |
| "It is as simple and decisive as that." | |
| The UK's drug safety regulator - the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - said the booster doses were safe and side-effects were either a sore arm or flu-like symptoms. | The UK's drug safety regulator - the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) - said the booster doses were safe and side-effects were either a sore arm or flu-like symptoms. |
| Dr June Raine, regulator's chief executive, said: "We welcome today's announcement by the JCVI, on the extension of the booster campaign to 40-49 year olds. This further strengthens our ability to ensure people are protected against COVID-19 and saves lives. | Dr June Raine, regulator's chief executive, said: "We welcome today's announcement by the JCVI, on the extension of the booster campaign to 40-49 year olds. This further strengthens our ability to ensure people are protected against COVID-19 and saves lives. |
| "Our proactive monitoring of the safety of booster doses does not raise any new concerns." | "Our proactive monitoring of the safety of booster doses does not raise any new concerns." |
| The amount of protective given by the vaccines does fall after the second the dose with time. | |
| Prof Neil Ferguson said there was "no reason" not to give boosters to younger age groups and it "could make quite a big difference to driving down transmission to low levels". | Prof Neil Ferguson said there was "no reason" not to give boosters to younger age groups and it "could make quite a big difference to driving down transmission to low levels". |
| Young people - aged 16 and 17 - have only been offered one dose of a Covid vaccine so far. They will now get a second dose - at least 12 weeks after their first. | |
| Follow James on Twitter | Follow James on Twitter |