Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
BOOSTER BOOSTED
Vaccine maker says autumn jabs for children must be considered
YOUNGER adults and children should be offered Covid boosters in the autumn, vaccine makers claim.
Britain is witnessing a spike in virus cases after spring top-ups were offered only to over-75s and the vulnerable.
The Office for National Statistics said infections have surged to 1.4 million, with a 43% rise in a week.
Preparations are under way for over65s, the clinically vulnerable, frontline health and social care workers plus older care home residents to get autumn jabs.
But Moderna, which makes one of the UK’S two main vaccines, along with Pfizer, warns people could be “underprotected and under-vaccinated” without a wider programme. Dr Paul
Burton, the firm’s chief medical officer, said: “My sense is that for this upcoming booster season, a broader opportunity to vaccinate everybody, including children, is probably warranted for consideration.”
His concerns follow a trial of its new vaccine to tackle more contagious variants of Omicron – BA.4 and BA.5 – which are driving the UK cases spike. Hospital bosses have said if the surge continues they may have to halt some operations to manage virus patients. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation is yet to confirm the autumn schedule.