UK: COVID-19 booster jabs to be offered to under 50s ahead of winters

Once the over 50-year-olds and clinically vulnerable are vaccinated, the UK should start rolling out booster shots to younger cohorts in order to drive down transmission to low levels, according to Epidemiologist, Prof Neil Ferguson, as per the reports of BBC Radio 4. Over 11.8 million people in the United Kingdom have already taken the booster shots, which are given to counteract the first two doses' gradual loss of protection.

Ferguson predicted the booster dosages' heightened protection would last for several months, at the very least, into the winter if not longer. He expressed hope that the UK would avoid social distancing measures like those enacted last year. He also stated that they can't afford to be complacent. According to the Guardian, UK PM Boris Johnson warned on Friday about the increase of COVID-19 cases over areas of Europe, citing Germany's highest-ever case figures and a recent spike in Austria, Slovakia, and Croatia. He urged the people to get their booster shots to avoid an increase in COVID-19 cases in the UK.

The UK had one of the highest case rates in Europe in October

While the UK had one of the highest case rates in Europe in October, daily case data and the most recent figures on infection levels from the Office for National Statistics suggest a decline in recent weeks, according to the Guardian. In the week ending November 6, one out of every 60 people in the community in England had COVID-19, compared to one out of every 50 in late October. In Wales, there has been a decrease as well, while the rate of those testing positive in Scotland has stayed constant, the situation in Northern Ireland is still uncertain.

When compared to April of this year, there are now over 2,200 vaccination centres, up from 1,697 in April of this year. Vaccines are also offered in schools and there are more than 200 vaccination centres for children aged 12 to 15, to provide the best possible protection this winter, according to the Government of UK official website.

The disparity in the global distribution of COVID-19 boosters and initial shots is a scandal

On the other hand, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the disparity in the global distribution of COVID-19 boosters and initial shots to people in developing countries, a scandal. According to him, six times more boosters are given globally every day compared to the initial doses in low-income countries. He went on to say that this is an issue that needs to be addressed right away.

Image: AP/ Representative