New advice on booster jabs issued

FOLLOWING discovery of the new Covid variant Omicron, all adults in Scotland are eligible for a booster vaccine to increase immunity to the virus.

New advice on boosters was issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) this week, with the aim of stepping up protection against Omicron.

Covid booster jabs are to be offered to all over-18s in the UK.

The minimum gap between the second vaccine dose and booster has been reduced from six to three months.

Booster vaccines are being prioritised for those most at risk of severe Covid.

People in older age groups or with underlying health conditions should have been invited for their booster vaccine by now.

However, many in the 50 to 59 and 40 to 49 age groups have still to book their appointments. Others have appointments in December or in the new year.

This is because previous JCVI advice meant people in these age groups had to wait six months following their second dose for a booster.

Now advice is to wait three months after the second dose. Because of this, many 18 to 39-year-olds can, in theory, have their booster vaccine now.

However, there is likely to be a wait while older age groups continue to receive theirs.

The Scottish Government will invite 18 to 39-year-olds forward for their boosters in due course.

People will be offered a booster dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. However, AstraZeneca may be given as a booster to those who cannot have Pfizer or Moderna due to medical reasons.

As more age groups have been invited forward for their boosters, they have been able to book appointments via the online portal, which was first made available to everyone aged 50 to 59.

The Scottish Government will release exact details on how 18 to 39-year-olds can book their booster. It’s highly likely this will also be through the portal.

Anyone aged 16 or 17 has been able to use the portal since November 30 to book their second dose, as long as it has been 12 weeks since their first and those who are aged 12 to 15 should also get a second dose 12 weeks after their first.

However, this age group only became eligible for their first dose in September, so more information about booking their second dose will become available closer to the 12-week mark.

Currently the coronavirus vaccine has not been approved for under-12s in Scotland.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “Scotland has already started work on its implementation, including the recommendation boosters can now be given to all adults no less than three months after a second dose.

“Urgent talks with health boards and vaccination partners are under way.”