PM requests faster booster rollout for under-40s
New variant sparks change in policy with scientists also looking at vaccine gap and age requirements
BORIS JOHNSON has asked government scientists to speed up the booster rollout to under-40s in an unusual step to fight the omicron variant.
The Prime Minister yesterday said the Government was also asking the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) about cutting the time people had to wait between getting their second and third jabs.
The move was seen as a highly unusual intervention as ministers have been keen not to give the impression they are bouncing an independent committee into specific recommendations.
Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, said the JCVI was also considering whether to recommend giving second jabs to those aged 12 to 15.
In a press conference yesterday, Mr Johnson stressed that the committee was an “independent” advisory body, but said he hoped it would decide on rolling out booster jabs to under 40s “as soon as possible”.
Outlining the Government’s response to the omicron variant, he said: “From today we are going to boost the booster campaign, we are already planning to do six million jabs in England alone over the next three weeks.
“The health secretary has asked the JCVI to consider giving boosters to as wide a group as possible, as well as reducing the gap between your second jab and your booster.”
The PM was repeatedly pressed on when the JCVI would come back with its decisions on boosters and vaccines for younger people.
He said: “They are an independent body but clearly we hope we will get some answers for everybody as soon as possible.”
Professor Whitty warned that the new variant appeared to be spreading very fast with areas of South Africa now reporting 90 per cent of new cases as omicron.
He said that the emergence of the new variant meant the JCVI was now also reassessing its recommendations on age.
The committee has decided that 16 and 17-year-olds should have a second jab and Mr Whitty said it was now looking closely at whether that should be extended down to 12-year-olds.
Asked about whether children under 12 should start to be vaccinated, Prof Whitty said: “The evidence, as it has come in, has made us more reassured about safety rather than less reassured.
“I think that most parents would agree that there are now significant outbreaks among those who are not vaccinated in schools, indeed among some of
‘There are now significant outbreaks among those who are not vaccinated in schools’
those who are vaccinated.”
Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, said a key “defence” against omicron was to increase people’s overall immunity to Covid via the vaccine.
Almost 17 million people have had a third booster jab since they started to be rolled out in September.
Last Monday 7.1 million people aged 40-49 in England became eligible for a third shot via the NHS booking service.
The Sunday Telegraph understands that ministers are now keen for the booster to be rolled out to everyone over 18 and for the waiting time between the second and third shot to be cut from six to five months.
The move comes as scientists are trying to work out how effective the vaccine will be against the omicron variant that was first identified in South Africa last week.