Third of fully jabbed over-80s in England have had booster dose
Nearly one in five eligible 75 to 79-year-olds have also had a booster jab.
More than a third of fully vaccinated over-80s in England are likely to have received their Covid-19 booster jab, latest figures suggest.
Of the nearly 2.7 million people aged 80 and over in England who have already received two doses of vaccine, around 923,000 are estimated to have had their booster dose – the equivalent of 34%.
The figures, from NHS England, also show that 18% of double-jabbed people aged 75 to 79 are likely to have received a booster, along with 8% of those aged 70 to 74.
In total, more than 2.4 million booster doses have now been delivered in England.
This is the equivalent of just over 6% of the double-jabbed population – around one in 16 – according to analysis by the PA news agency.
Booster doses can only be offered to people who are at least six months on from receiving their second dose of coronavirus vaccine.
If eligible, people who can receive a booster dose include all adults aged 50 and over; frontline health and social care workers; and those living in residential care homes for older adults.
They are also being made available to people aged 16 to 49 with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe Covid-19, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals.
The booster campaign began in England on September 16, and is being delivered through existing vaccination sites including pharmacies, hospital hubs, GP practices and vaccine centres.
It is intended to provide extra protection against hospital admission or death from Covid-19 during the coming winter, and as such is being targeted at people who are more at risk from serious disease and who were jabbed during the first phase of the vaccine rollout.
Among other age groups in England, around 4% of double-jabbed people aged 65-69 are now likely to have had a booster, plus nearly 5% of those aged 60-64.
Just over 7% of double-jabbed people in north-east England and Yorkshire have received their booster – the highest proportion for any region.
Eastern England has the lowest proportion of any region, at just under 6%.
NHS England said the figures for boosters contain a small number of third primary doses of vaccine.
These are not the same as booster doses, and are instead being offered to individuals aged 12 and over who may not be able to mount a full immune response following two doses of Covid-19 vaccination due to underlying health conditions or medical treatment.
A third primary dose of vaccine should ideally be given at least eight weeks after the second dose, according to official guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
