Health board in booster jag call
NHS Lanarkshire is inviting people aged 40 to 49 to book a Covid-19 booster appointment.
The health board is advising the public to use the NHS Inform online portal or national phone line to book the jab.
Appointments will be available from December and the booking must be at least 24 weeks after the second dose.
Dr Jane Burns, medical director at NHS Lanarkshire, said: “The expansion of the Covid-19 vaccine booster to those aged 40 to 49 marks another significant milestone in the autumn/winter vaccination programme.
“Boosters are just as important as the initial vaccinations. Six months after the second dose, immunity levels wane with increasing risk of further infection.
“The booster dose improves your level of protection significantly and is the best way to protect your health and those around you.
“We encourage all those eligible to arrange their appointment via the portal or phone line for 24 weeks after their second dose.”
Health bosses also announced 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to use the portal from December to book a slot for their second dose of the vaccine, as long as 12 weeks have passed since the first dose.
However, anyone with a confirmed case of the virus since the first dose should wait for 12 weeks after that.
The portal is already open for the 50 to 59 age group, unpaid carers aged 16 and over, and over 16s who are household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
Anyone in earlier groups who missed an appointment can also book online.
The health board says it will contact 50 to 59-year-olds who have not yet booked an appointment for their booster.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We have now delivered more than 1.5 million boosters and third doses and the excellent progress with the autumn/winter vaccination programme now allows us to invite people aged 40 to 49-year-olds to book online.
“We aim to vaccinate people as quickly as possible in line with clinical guidance and over the course of the autumn/winter vaccination programme, we will see up to 7.5m flu and Covid-19 booster vaccinations administered.
“While vaccination is the bedrock of our fight against Covid-19, we encourage everyone to follow mitigations such as regular testing, particularly before socialising and meeting up with other people from outside your household, wearing face masks where required and opening windows to improve ventilation.”