A fourth vaccination could be given approval as early as the new year
Britain is considering the rollout of a fourth vaccination against Covid-19 after both Israel and Germany approved a second round of boosters for their populations.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will examine evidence on the amount of immunity three jabs give against the Omicron variant, along with data on hospitalisations, before making any decision on a fourth vaccination.
It comes after both Israel and Germany announced on Wednesday that they would be pressing ahead with a fourth jab for people to fight Omicron.
Speaking about the approval of a fourth vaccination, Germany’s health minister Karl Lauterbach said: “An offensive booster campaign is our most important building block in the fight against Omicron.
“The level of protection against severe COVID-19 symptoms after a booster shot is very high. I would estimate it goes well over 90%.”
In Israel, a fourth jab has been approved for the over-60s, the clinically vulnerable and medical workers.
But the UK will be delaying any decision on a fourth vaccination until ministers and scientists have a clearer picture of the data and the need for any further jabs.
Experts point out that the Omicron variant has already surged through the UK and that the third booster programme is still being rolled out to tackle it.
Related links:
- Why do Covid boosters work if two vaccine doses don’t?
- 16% of Premier League players have not had a single vaccine
- Tony Blair: ‘You’re an idiot if you’re not vaccinated’
They also believe that the country’s decision to increase the gap between the first and second doses of vaccine to 12 weeks gave people longer lasting immunity that in other countries. In Israel, the gap between both doses was just three weeks, which was the original guidance from Pfizer BioNTech.
Prof Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of JCVI, which advises the Government on immunisation, told The Telegraph: “We need to see more data. We are in different circumstances to Israel and we need to see more data on waning immunity and vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation.”
There are added concerns over the cost of a fourth set of jabs and the workload this would put on GPs and other NHS workers.
Any extra dose would be likely administered at least four months after the first booster, meaning the fourth jab could be available as early as the new year.
People with weakened immune systems are already entitled to a fourth jab, but this could be extended to the over 60s and other vulnerable categories.
On Wednesday, the JCVI advised that youngsters aged five to 11 who are immunosuppressed or live with someone who is will be offered a low dose of Pfizer’s vaccine.
The group also approved booster jabs to be given to 16 and 17-year-olds three months after their second dose.
On the same day, the UK recorded its highest ever daily figure of Covid cases, surpassing 100,000 cases for the first time since the pandemic began.
