Mubasher – Austria: Containing the unvaccinated “began to bear fruit”

UK: 3rd dose for over 40 years

Those over 40 will soon be able to receive a third dose of the vaccine in the UK, in an effort to boost public protection and avoid a re-imposition of restrictions this winter. So far, around 12.6 million people in the UK have received a third injection, including those over 50, frontline caregivers and people with health conditions that make them vulnerable to contracting the virus.

Experts from the JCVI, a panel that advises the government on its vaccination campaign, on Monday recommended extending that recall campaign to more than 40 years and using the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine as a priority for injection, or a half dose of Moderna. The injection should be done at least six months after the second dose has been given, a period considered the most relevant in terms of vaccine efficacy.

Once these recommendations were expressed, Health Minister Sajid Javid announced the extension of the recall campaign, stressing that the four countries of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) “have the intent to follow the advice of the JCVI”.