All adults to be offered booster before New Year in new fight against Omicron

An urgent national appeal has been launched calling for people to be vaccinated by the New Year in a new booster programme against the Omicron variant of Covid-19.

The Prime Minister has outlined plans to significantly increase NHS vaccination capacity as the UK Chief Medical Officers have increased the UK Covid Alert Level from level 3 to level 4 due to a rapid increase in Omicron cases.

The latest data suggests Omicron is extremely transmissible and will become the dominant variant by mid-December; cases are now doubling every two to three days.

All adults will now be offered a booster jab by the New Year, bringing the target forward by one month.

Bookings through the National Booking System will be prioritised at most sites unless it is a pop-up or walk-in only site.

The National Booking System will now be stood up for over 18s and will take a short time to operationalise. From Monday (13 December), adults over 30 will be able to book online, and all over 18s from Wednesday (15 December).

Local walk-in and mobile vaccination clinics are now offering Covid-19 booster jabs to residents over 18 three months after their second dose as well as first and second doses.

 

 

There are drop-in vaccination clinics running throughout December at Number One Riverside where residents can get their first and second Pfizer jabs and booster vaccinations (if eligible). Details and dates below.

There is a pop-up clinic at Deeplish Community Centre on Thursday 16 December 1pm - 3pm for Pfizer vaccinations (first and second jabs) and AstraZeneca (second jabs).

The sessions at Number One Riverside in Rochdale town centre are offering Pfizer first, second and booster jabs.

• ​​Pfizer booster for people 18 years and over if it has been at least 3 months since your second dose.
• First dose of the Pfizer vaccine will be offered for people aged 16 and over.
• Second dose of the Pfizer vaccine for people 18 years and over if it has been eight weeks or more since your first jab and for people 16-17 years if it has been twelve weeks or more since your first jab.

These sessions are being held on the following dates:

• Wednesday 15 December 9am - 5pm
• Thursday 16 December 2pm - 9pm
• Saturday 18 December 10am - 6pm
• Sunday 19 December 9am - 5pm

All drop-in and pop-up clinics are for residents registered with a GP in the borough of Rochdale.

No appointment is needed but people that are booked in elsewhere should stick to their existing appointments.

If you're attending for your second vaccine or booster, it is important that you try to take your blue vaccination card with you.

If possible please have your NHS number with you - you can find this at www.nhs.uk

Details of all vaccination clinics and eligibility criteria for first, second and booster jabs at each can be found at:

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/events/search?searchtype=text&searchvalue=vaccine

To deliver the ramped-up vaccination programme, NHS staff will need to be redeployed away from non-urgent services. This means that all primary care services will now focus on urgent clinical need and vaccines, and some non-urgent appointments and elective surgeries may be postponed until the New Year while every adult in the country is jabbed.

 

 

Speaking in a pre-recorded national television address broadcast on Sunday evening (12 December), the Prime Minister said: “We are now facing an emergency in our battle with the new variant, Omicron, and we must urgently reinforce our wall of vaccine protection to keep our friends and loved ones safe.

“We know from bitter experience how these exponential curves develop. No-one should be in any doubt: there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming, and I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need.

“But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose – a booster dose – we can all bring our level of protection back up.

“And I know there will be some people watching who will be asking whether Omicron is less severe than previous variants, and whether we really need to go out and get that booster.

“And the answer is yes we do.”

He continued: “Do not make the mistake of thinking Omicron can’t hurt you; can’t make you and your loved ones seriously ill.

“We’ve already seen hospitalisations doubling in a week in South Africa.

“And we have patients with Omicron in hospital here in the UK right now.

“At this point, our scientists cannot say that Omicron is less severe, and even if that proved to be true, we already know it is so much more transmissible, that a wave of Omicron through a population that was not boosted would risk a level of hospitalisation that could overwhelm our NHS and lead sadly to very many deaths.

“So we must act now.”

Mr Johnson added: “To hit the pace we need, we’ll need to match the NHS’s best vaccination day yet – and then beat it day after day.

“This will require an extraordinary effort.

“And as we focus on boosters and make this new target achievable,

it will mean some other appointments will need to be postponed until the New Year.

“But if we don’t do this now, the wave of Omicron could be so big that cancellations and disruptions, like the loss of cancer appointments, would be even greater next year.

“And I know the pressures on everyone in our NHS – from our GPs, doctors and nurses to our porters – all of whom have worked incredibly hard and we thank them for the amazing job they have done.

“But I say directly to those of you on the front line, I must ask you to make another extraordinary effort now, so we can protect you and your colleagues – and above all your patients - from even greater pressures next year.

“If you haven’t yet had a vaccine at all, then please get yourself at least some protection with a jab as quickly as possible.

“If you’ve already had your booster, encourage your friends and family to do the same.”

Data published on Friday (10 December) suggests that vaccine efficacy against symptomatic infection is substantially reduced against Omicron with just two doses, but a third dose boosts protection back up to over 70%.

Face coverings are now compulsory in most public indoor venues, people are asked to work from home if they can as of Monday (13 December).

From Wednesday (15 December) negative lateral flow tests will be needed to enter nightclubs and large events, except for those who are double vaccinated and subject to approval from Parliament.

Every adult in the country is now being urged to book their jab as soon as possible. The vaccination programme is open to everyone, and first and second doses remain available.