COVID: UK invites people aged 30 or above to book booster jabs amid Omicron scare

In view of the rising cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the UK government has announced that people aged 30 and above will now be able to book a COVID-19 booster jabs from Monday. The booster jabs will be given 3 months before the second COVID vaccine dose rather than 6 months. The data reveals that booster vaccination is the "essential defence against Omicron," said the UK Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, reported the BBC. As per the latest study report, the Omicron variant is likely to infect a large number of people and could also cause a death toll between 25,000 and 75,000 by the end of April. 

Cases of the Omicron variant in the UK are on the rise. The country reported a total of 54,073 new cases on Saturday, including 633 of Omicron, and the numbers are likely to increase in the coming days. As per the official data, 22 million people in the UK have received a third vaccination or booster jab. Meanwhile, the UK government has also introduced Plan B measures, which include mandatory face coverings in public places, encouraging work from home, and allowing only three visitors, among others.

COVID-19: People aged 30 and above in England invited to book booster jabs from Monday

Experts have observed that the booster vaccine has been an effective way to beat the variant and prevent it from further infecting more people. According to an analysis report published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), it was found that the AstraZeneca and Pfizer vaccines give much lower levels of protection against the Omicron variant compared with Delta. However, the data revealed that a booster jab provides around 70% to 75% immunity against the highly contagious Omicron variant.contagious Omicron variant.

In view of the same, the Health and Social Care Secretary of the UK urged citizens who are in their thirties to come forward and take the third jab to have a safe Christmas.

Javid said, "The COVID-19 booster programme is accelerating rapidly, and more than 22 million people in the UK have already received their top-up, securing vital protection ahead of Christmas. This is our national mission—the most recent data shows boosters are the essential defence against Omicron, and we are doing everything in our power to get jabs into arms as quickly as possible, reported Sky news.

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