Preparations begin for Autumn COVID booster jab campaign

Preparations for the autumn COVID booster jab campaign are beginning, with booking for eligible residents opening next week.

While the number of cases in Peterborough has been falling in recent weeks, the case rate in the city is still higher than the rate for England as a whole.

Peterborough’s case rate is 73.5 cases per 100,000 people – while for England, the rate is 53.6.

Peterborough’s vaccination rate is also below the national rate, with less than half the population in the city having had their third dose, compared to nearly 70 per cent across the UK.

Last month the 500th COVID death in Peterborough was recorded.

When does the booster booking service open?

The National Booking Service (NBS) will open on September 5 with those most susceptible to serious illness from Covid-19 and those aged 75 and over invited by the NHS to book an appointment online or by ringing 119 free of charge.

The programme will then extend to other eligible groups through to December 2022. The NHS will contact people from eligible cohorts when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine – people do not need to contact the NHS.

Those eligible for an autumn booster will be able to book an appointment at one large-scale Covid vaccination sites – including the centre in Queensgate – from Monday 12th September, will be open seven days a week from 8.30 am to 4pm and some evenings until 7.30 pm.

People who are immunosuppressed can also choose to walk-in for their autumn booster, bringing with them a GP or consultant letter, or prescription that identifies their immunosuppressed status.

"Our fantastic staff and volunteers have worked incredibly hard to administer more than 1.4 million doses of the vaccine to date”

David Vickers, Medical Director, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust, said: “Our fantastic staff and volunteers have worked incredibly hard to administer more than 1.4 million doses of the vaccine to date and a great deal of work has been going on behind the scenes as we’ve once again been preparing to deliver the latest phase of the Covid-19 vaccination programme.

“When the time comes, I’d strongly encourage anyone who’s invited to take up the autumn booster to do so as quickly as possible as this will help to maximise your protection this winter.”

Who is eligible?

Around 26 million people across England will be eligible for an autumn booster in line with guidance set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This includes:

· residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults

· frontline health and social care workers

· all adults aged 50 years and over

· persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book – this includes pregnant women

· persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression

· persons aged 16 to 49 years who are carers, as set out in the Green Book

NHS staff will begin vaccinating care home residents and people who are housebound from early September 2022.

For more information visit www.thevaccinators.co.uk