More than a million people have scheduled COVID-19 booster shots

Key Takeaways:

• The third treatment has been scheduled, with NHS officials stating.
• The roll-out will be accelerated starting on December 13 at the latest, following the discovery of the Omicron variant.

More than a million people have scheduled booster shots this week after the public was urged to get the vaccine after the Omicron variant was discovered.

According to the NHS, 1,077,514 booster hits appointments have been made this week, with a total of 3.6 million individuals scheduled for their third dose this month.

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Since the NHS began rolling out the booster program in September, more than 16.2 million third hits have been administered in England. Initially, the booster shot was exclusively given to persons over 50, nursing homes, frontline health and social care staff, and vulnerable people aged 16 to 49.

On Monday afternoon, however, the government stated that all adults would be administered a Coronavirus booster vaccine part of a far-reaching expansion of the vaccination program to address the potential impact of the Omicron variant.

By the end of January, the NHS hopes to have given the booster shot to everyone eligible, with the third shot already being given to adults aged 40 and up.

So far, 1.3 million adults aged 40 to 49 have had their booster shot. However, NHS officials said on Friday that the program would be accelerated starting on December 13 at the latest. On or before that date, the online booking system for COVID-19 vaccines will be upgraded to allow people to schedule their booster shot three months following their second dose.

Following the discovery of the Omicron variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson accepted expert advice to reduce the waiting time for a booster dose from six months to three months. On Friday, another 75 cases of the Omicron variant were discovered in England, bringing 104.

Source: Sky news