Over-50s need not wait to book booster jab
People are no longer required to hear from the NHS if it has been six months since second dose
‘We’ve got the jabs, we just need the arms to put them in … book online or phone 119’
OVER-50S can now automatically book a booster if they have not received an NHS invitation within a week of becoming eligible for the third jab, the Health Secretary confirmed yesterday.
The change follows complaints that many old and vulnerable people were being turned away from clinics because they had not been sent an official invitation – despite it being six months since their second dose.
Sajid Javid yesterday said the booster jab was crucial for keeping cases low and avoiding restrictions this winter, as he also promised more pop-up vaccine centres to keep uptake high.
“We’ve got the jabs, we just need the arms to put them in,” he said. “If you’re over 50 or in another priority group and had your second jab over six months ago you’re eligible for a booster and the NHS will send you an invite. If you haven’t been invited within a week of reaching that six month milestone then please, get on to the National Booking Service and book online or phone 119.”
NHS England confirmed that nearly 200,000 boosters were given yesterday, taking the total to just over four million. However, the Covid-19 Actuaries Response Group, which is monitoring the rollout, said there were still about five million eligible people who are unjabbed.
Pop-up vaccine centres, such as the Brent Mosque, will be reopened to help with the backlog, it was confirmed last night. Earlier this week Matt Hancock, the former health secretary, queried why the London mosque had been closed in the House of Commons.
Several people on the eligible list contacted The Telegraph to say they had not been sent invites or they had been invited too early for a jab, and were turned away at vaccination centres.
Mandy Poulson, a retired nurse, said: “My 83-year-old father had his second Covid vaccine at his local GP on March 31 which makes him past the six months post second jab.
“He has not had an invite yet for his booster. I rang the booking line and they said you can only book if you have had an invite. So in short we are being advised by the Government to book the booster vaccines when eligible, but when you try you can’t.”
Chris Goodwin, from Northamptonshire said he and his 87-year-old mother are both eligible for their booster, but have not received the letter.
“My mother had the run around from the GP,” he said. “Eventually at about 11.30 this morning, after several phone calls, we discovered her second jab was never recorded so her letter for booster has not been triggered.”
Last week Portcullis Surgery in Ludlow was forced to apologise and cancel appointments for 50 patients who were sent texts too early.
Myles Hoyle, 76, also received a text message from his GP on Oct 4 but when he booked for his booster at the Holiday Inn in Winchester he was told it was only 170 days since his second dose.
“I was asked why I was there. Had I been invited?” It made me feel as if I was queue jumping. Then they said ‘see you in 10 days’. I left.”
Professor Stephen Powis, the National Medical Director for NHS England added: “Boosters could really not be more important.
“The booster is not some sort of addon, it’s a really critical part of maintaining immunity and if we don’t maintain that level of immunity we will see that translating into more hospital admissions, more pressure and more deaths.”
‘ I was asked why I was there. Had I been invited? It made me feel as if I was queue jumping’