UK extends COVID vaccine booster program amid ‘storm clouds’
3 years, 1 month ago

UK extends COVID vaccine booster program amid ‘storm clouds’

Associated Press  

LONDON — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Monday of a “blizzard” of new coronavirus infections coming into the U.K. from continental Europe, as his government extended the vaccine booster program to younger people in an effort to bolster waning immunity levels during the winter months. With concerns mounting about a new wave of the pandemic in Europe, the independent body of scientists that makes vaccine recommendations to the British government said people aged 40 to 49 will also be eligible for a vaccine booster shot six months after their initial shot. It said the the broadening of the booster campaign and the offer of a second jab to older teenagers will “help extend our protection into 2022.” Accepting the recommendations, Johnson urged people to get their booster to get the extra level of protection as pandemic “storm clouds” were gathering over Europe, which has seen fresh lockdowns imposed in Austria and the Netherlands. “So far we’ve got 75% of everybody over 70 getting a booster, that’s a huge number of people, but it’s that further 25% that will make all the difference to winter, to Christmas, to our plans going forward, because it’s that extra level of protection that we really need.” The expansion of the booster program comes as a new study from the U.K. Health Security Agency showed adults over 50 had at least 93% reduced risk of getting a symptomatic case of COVID-19 two weeks after their booster.

Europe Johnson Covid Vaccine Restrictions Booster  program  booster  covid  far  second  restrictions  uk  clouds  vaccine  europe  amid  extends  weeks  wave  winter  storm

History of this topic

'Defences tend to fade over time': US health agency recommends older to get another COVID shot this spring
10 months, 1 week ago

'Defences tend to fade over time': US health agency recommends older to get another COVID shot this spring

India TV News  

Washington: Older US adults should roll up their sleeves for another COVID-19 shot, even if they got a booster in the fall, an influential government advisory panel said on Wednesday. The panel voted 11-1 to say Americans 65 and older should get another dose of the updated vaccine that became available in September — if at least four months have …

Flu and Covid-19 hospital admissions in England remain lower than last year
1 year, 1 month ago

Flu and Covid-19 hospital admissions in England remain lower than last year

The Independent  

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Flu and Covid-19 hospital admissions in England have fallen and …

COVID returns? Hospitalisation hits record high in THIS country | DEETS INSIDE
1 year, 2 months ago

COVID returns? Hospitalisation hits record high in THIS country | DEETS INSIDE

India TV News  

As winter approaches, health authorities in the United Kingdom have issued a warning for its citizens to prepare for another wave of COVID-19. UK Health Security Agency has claimed that the cases will 'further increase' as the season progresses, along with other 'winter respiratory viruses like flu'. As we enter the colder months and people begin to mix more indoors, …

Covid vaccine: Over-65s urged to get booster jabs as hospital cases rise
1 year, 3 months ago

Covid vaccine: Over-65s urged to get booster jabs as hospital cases rise

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ /verifyErrors }} The NHS …

Now experts call for more people to get a Covid booster as health bosses pull forward vaccination programme for vulnerable amid fears surrounding Pirola variant - but MPs call for calm and to 'treat i
1 year, 4 months ago

Now experts call for more people to get a Covid booster as health bosses pull forward vaccination programme for vulnerable amid fears surrounding Pirola variant - but MPs call for calm and to 'treat i

Daily Mail  

Experts today called for Covid booster eligibility to be widened amid fears the new 'concerning' Pirola variant could trigger a fresh wave of infections. Yesterday health officials u-turned again on the autumn Covid and flu jab drive start date, bringing it forwards from October to September 11, with some experts already calling to 'vaccinate everyone'. Ministers said the rollout would …

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London
1 year, 5 months ago

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London

Associated Press  

LONDON — Britain’s Health Security Agency said on Friday that measles vaccination rates in parts of London have dropped so low that the capital could see tens of thousands of cases of the rash-causing disease unless immunization coverage is quickly boosted. The Health Security Agency said that although the risk of an outbreak across the U.K. was low, the current …

Health council urges Covid booster for over 60s, care workers
1 year, 6 months ago

Health council urges Covid booster for over 60s, care workers

Dutch News  

The Dutch health council has said that the over 60s, pregnant women, and people with a medical condition should be offered a booster Covid shot each year. Three years after the Covid outbreak almost the entire Dutch population has built up a degree of immunity because of vaccination, infection, or both, the council said, but older people and people with …

England rolls out spring Covid-19 booster shots for vulnerable groups
1 year, 9 months ago

England rolls out spring Covid-19 booster shots for vulnerable groups

Firstpost  

The National Health Service said others eligible can book in on the UK’s National Booking Service or the NHS App from next Wednesday, with the first appointments available from April 17 London: Around five million people in England will be eligible for a spring Covid-19 booster vaccine, including over 75-year-olds, those with a weakened immune system, and care home residents, …

Covid symptoms UK: 10 most common symptoms as UK cases rise
1 year, 9 months ago

Covid symptoms UK: 10 most common symptoms as UK cases rise

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. open image in gallery People walk past messages written on The National Covid Memorial Wall, …

FDA’s advisors back plan to simplify COVID-19 vaccinations
1 year, 11 months ago

FDA’s advisors back plan to simplify COVID-19 vaccinations

LA Times  

Syringes with COVDI-19 vaccines are prepared at a free public clinic in Lynwood last year. “We’re still protected against severe disease, thank goodness,” even after the latest Omicron strains cropped up, said FDA advisor Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The first step: The FDA advisory panel voted unanimously that people should get the same …

Warning of big change to Covid vaccines in UK
1 year, 11 months ago

Warning of big change to Covid vaccines in UK

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The NHS in England said that until the universal programme ends, it will continue to …

UK health chiefs crank up plans for spring AND autumn Covid vaccine roll-outs
1 year, 11 months ago

UK health chiefs crank up plans for spring AND autumn Covid vaccine roll-outs

Daily Mail  

It means that millions of Britons will have had an eighth vaccine by next winter Britain's universal Covid vaccine programme will be wound down this year as the country settles into post-pandemic life. Those who are older and those who are immunosuppressed should also receive an extra booster vaccine dose this spring, they advised Latest government data shows that 64.5 …

FDA proposes once-a-year COVID-19 shots for most Americans
1 year, 11 months ago

FDA proposes once-a-year COVID-19 shots for most Americans

LA Times  

U.S. health officials are proposing a simplified approach to COVID-19 vaccinations for most adults and children. That baseline of protection should be enough to move to an annual booster against the latest strains in circulation and make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the yearly flu shot, according to the agency. FDA scientists and vaccine companies would study vaccination, infection rates and …

As COVID-19 spikes in California, booster shots could make all the difference
2 years, 1 month ago

As COVID-19 spikes in California, booster shots could make all the difference

LA Times  

With coronavirus cases and hospitalizations rising in Los Angeles County, officials are voicing new confidence in the effectiveness of the updated COVID-19 booster shot. New data has found that the updated COVID-19 vaccines offer “significant additional protection” against symptomatic infection in people who were previously vaccinated or boosted with the older formula. “We have seen very low uptake of the …

‘Mixed picture’ for Covid infections but rise in England may have levelled off
2 years, 2 months ago

‘Mixed picture’ for Covid infections but rise in England may have levelled off

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

Immunisation coverage lower in children post-Covid: Lancet study
2 years, 2 months ago

Immunisation coverage lower in children post-Covid: Lancet study

Hindustan Times  

The immunisation coverage among Covid-affected children in the country has witnessed a reduction compared to the unaffected ones, a new study has stated. Immunisation coverage lower in children post-Covid: Lancet study The study titled, ‘The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine childhood immunization coverage and timeliness in India: Retrospective analysis of the National Family Health Survey of 2019–2021 data’, …

Covid cases in UK are rising again: 1 in 35 people in England now infected
2 years, 2 months ago

Covid cases in UK are rising again: 1 in 35 people in England now infected

Hindustan Times  

Coronavirus cases are rising in the UK with infections increasing in all regions in England in the last week, except the northeast, Sky News reported quoting government experts. This marks the fourth consecutive increase in infections in England as the estimated number of people testing positive for Covid was 1,513,700, equating to 2.78 per cent of the population. "Infections have …

No Covid restrictions needed yet, Health Min. says as vaccinations open to everyone 12+
2 years, 2 months ago

No Covid restrictions needed yet, Health Min. says as vaccinations open to everyone 12+

NL Times  

Companies and organizations don’t have to take measures against the coronavirus yet but are free to do so if they wish. People between the ages of 40 and 60 can make an appointment next week, and “in principle the week after,” everyone from 12 to 40 can do so, Kuipers said. But according to Kuipers, it is ‘not yet necessary …

WHO says new COVID-19 wave emerging in Europe
2 years, 2 months ago

WHO says new COVID-19 wave emerging in Europe

Al Jazeera  

UN agency’s regional data show only Europe with an increase in coronavirus cases in the week that ended October 2 as infections rose 8 percent from the week before. “Although we are not where we were one year ago, it is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic is still not over,” the WHO’s Europe director, Hans Kluge, and the ECDC’s director, …

Covid-19 UK: Coronavirus infections jump 29% in a week in England
2 years, 3 months ago

Covid-19 UK: Coronavirus infections jump 29% in a week in England

Daily Mail  

Health chiefs have started cranking up their Covid advice as the virus continues its resurgence ahead of the winter. The figure was up 29 per cent on the 857,400 thought to have the virus daily in the week before Covid was most prevalent in the over-70s, of whom 2.5 per cent tested positive for the virus in the most recent …

‘Twindemic’ warning as health chiefs launch Covid and flu vaccination drive
2 years, 3 months ago

‘Twindemic’ warning as health chiefs launch Covid and flu vaccination drive

The Telegraph  

Health chiefs have warned of a Covid and flu “twindemic” this winter as they launched a renewed vaccination drive. Around 33 million people in England will be eligible for a free flu vaccination this year, while 26 million are also eligible for an autumn Covid-19 booster. Officials at the UK Health Security Agency warned there will be lower levels of …

Prepare for the twindemic! Health chiefs warn Covid will strike at same time as flu this winter
2 years, 3 months ago

Prepare for the twindemic! Health chiefs warn Covid will strike at same time as flu this winter

Daily Mail  

Tens of millions of Britons are being urged to rush forward for their Covid and flu jabs amid warnings of a 'twindemic' ahead. It marks the first rise in infections since mid-July, when the summer wave peaked and ministers faced calls to bring back pandemic-era restrictions In final guidance published today, the JCVI set out that the over-50s, residents and …

People aged 65 and over urged to book Covid-19 booster jab
2 years, 3 months ago

People aged 65 and over urged to book Covid-19 booster jab

The Independent  

People aged 65 and over can now book their Covid-19 booster jab online or via 119. People aged 75 and over, the severely immunosuppressed and frontline health and care workers have been able to book a booster since last week. If you are one of those eligible, it is as important as ever to get your next dose, so please …

Covid infections drop to 10-month low as booster jab rollout begins
2 years, 3 months ago

Covid infections drop to 10-month low as booster jab rollout begins

The Telegraph  

Coronavirus infections have dropped to an 11-month low as the booster campaign begins ahead of an expected resurgence this winter. The autumn Covid booster campaign is now under way in England and Scotland, with care home residents and staff among the first to get jabs from last week. A total of 26 million people will be invited to get a …

New vaccines approved, booster campaign to start in September
2 years, 4 months ago

New vaccines approved, booster campaign to start in September

Dutch News  

The new Pfizer and Moderna booster vaccines have been given approval by the European Medicines Agency for over-12s, and another booster campaign is planned for the second half of September. Although the current vaccines protect against serious sickness, they have become less good at protecting against a coronavirus infection due to mutations in the virus, reports NOS. The EMA expects …

New vaccines approved, booster campaign to start in September
2 years, 4 months ago

New vaccines approved, booster campaign to start in September

Dutch News  

The new Pfizer and Moderna booster vaccines have been given approval by the European Medicines Agency for over-12s, and another booster campaign is planned for the second half of September. Although the current vaccines protect against serious sickness, they have become less good at protecting against a coronavirus infection due to mutations in the virus, reports NOS. The EMA expects …

Viral claims are blaming a surge in excess deaths in Europe on vaccines. But experts say that's not the case
2 years, 4 months ago

Viral claims are blaming a surge in excess deaths in Europe on vaccines. But experts say that's not the case

ABC  

CheckMate is a weekly newsletter from RMIT FactLab which recaps the latest in the world of fact checking and misinformation, drawing on the work of FactLab and its sister organisation, RMIT ABC Fact Check. CheckMate September 2, 2022 This week, CheckMate investigates whether excess deaths among children have increased by more than 1,000 per cent in Europe, which some have …

White House: How about a COVID-19 boost with that flu shot?
2 years, 4 months ago

White House: How about a COVID-19 boost with that flu shot?

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Biden administration hopes to make getting a COVID-19 booster as routine as going in for the yearly flu shot. White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said this latest round of shots will offer protection during the busy cold and flu season, with the hope of transitioning people to get the vaccine yearly. “The goal very much …

Tweaked COVID boosters close but how much will they help?
2 years, 4 months ago

Tweaked COVID boosters close but how much will they help?

Associated Press  

COVID-19 vaccines tweaked to better match today’s omicron threat are expected to roll out in a few weeks but still up in the air is how much benefit the booster shots will offer, who should get one -- and how soon. Dr. Peter Marks, the FDA’s vaccine chief, said Thursday that once authorized, the tweaked boosters could help right away …

New Covid vaccination round with improved vaccines set for the autumn
2 years, 5 months ago

New Covid vaccination round with improved vaccines set for the autumn

Dutch News  

Everyone over the age of 12 will soon be invited to make an appointment for another booster coronavirus vaccination, health minister Ernst Kuipers announced on Friday. The first invitations, focusing on people who would be more at risk if they caught coronavirus and medical staff who have direct contact with patients, will be sent out in mid September, Kuipers said. …

New Covid vaccination round with improved vaccines set for the autumn
2 years, 5 months ago

New Covid vaccination round with improved vaccines set for the autumn

Dutch News  

Everyone over the age of 12 will soon be invited to make an appointment for another booster coronavirus vaccination, health minister Ernst Kuipers announced on Friday. The first invitations, focusing on people who would be more at risk if they caught coronavirus and medical staff who have direct contact with patients, will be sent out in mid September, Kuipers said. …

Covid cases jump by 800,000 in a week
2 years, 5 months ago

Covid cases jump by 800,000 in a week

The Telegraph  

Covid-19 infections in the UK have jumped by nearly 800,000 in a week, with some parts of the country nearing the record levels seen during the spring. This is the highest estimate for total infections since mid-April, but is still below the record of 4.9 million seen at the peak of the omicron BA.2 wave at the end of March. …

US health officials urge booster shots as COVID variants spread
2 years, 5 months ago

US health officials urge booster shots as COVID variants spread

Al Jazeera  

The administration of US President Joe Biden pushes vaccines as the best way to avoid potential disruptions from new BA.4 and BA.5 variants. “Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines provides the best protection against severe outcomes.” Walensky said the US has seen a doubling in the number of hospitalisations due to COVID-19 since April, reflecting the spread of …

Covid restrictions could return if rising cases make NHS backlog worse
2 years, 5 months ago

Covid restrictions could return if rising cases make NHS backlog worse

The Telegraph  

NHS organisations in Sussex, Norfolk and Norwich and the Midlands said the increase in cases in their communities necessitated a return to mask-wearing. The number of people in hospital in England who have tested positive for Covid has climbed to its highest level for nearly three months. However, while patient numbers are up week-on-week by 25 per cent, the rate …

Covid vaccine effectiveness falls to 0% a year after first series
2 years, 6 months ago

Covid vaccine effectiveness falls to 0% a year after first series

NL Times  

People who have only received the first and second vaccine shots against Covid-19 are barely protected against a coronavirus infection one year after the injections. By that time, vaccine effectiveness falls to 0 percent, according to the RIVM, the Dutch public health institute. Those who received a booster shot in the interim still receive protection against serious symptoms of the …

Covid cases in UK jump by over 30% in a week | 5 points you must know
2 years, 6 months ago

Covid cases in UK jump by over 30% in a week | 5 points you must know

Hindustan Times  

Covid cases in the United Kingdom have jumped by over 30 per cent in seven days, the Office of National Statistics said amid experts' warning that the pandemic situation could worsen during the autumn months. ONS data - based on a survey that analysed the figures for the week ending June 24 - indicated the percentage of people testing positive …

Canada to Lift Covid Vaccine Mandate for Domestic Travel from June 20
2 years, 6 months ago

Canada to Lift Covid Vaccine Mandate for Domestic Travel from June 20

News 18  

Canada’s Covid-19 vaccination requirement for domestic travellers will be suspended starting next week, officials said Tuesday. “I’m pleased to announce that on June 20 our government will suspend the requirement to be vaccinated in order to board a plane or train in Canada,” transport minister Omar Alghabra told a news conference. The mandatory vaccine policy for travellers was rolled out …

Germany seeks to avoid school closures if COVID surges again
2 years, 7 months ago

Germany seeks to avoid school closures if COVID surges again

Associated Press  

BERLIN — Germany’s federal and state leaders agreed Thursday to try to avoid closing schools and child care facilities if there is another surge in coronavirus cases this fall. Chancellor Olaf Scholz said after meeting with the governors of Germany’s 16 states that the goal would be to prevent “another blanket closure” of schools and kindergartens like what happened during …

Covid Vaccine Immunity Wanes Faster in Cancer Patients, Boosters Are Best Shot: UK Study
2 years, 7 months ago

Covid Vaccine Immunity Wanes Faster in Cancer Patients, Boosters Are Best Shot: UK Study

News 18  

Some cancer patients are showing a rapid decline in Covid-19 vaccine effectiveness by three to six months compared to the general population, says a large-scale study carried out by the UK Coronavirus Cancer Evaluation Project, stressing on the importance of booster doses for those battling the malignant disease. They also found that vaccines offered higher protection against Covid-associated hospitalisation than …

Travelling abroad this summer? You may still need a coronavirus pass
2 years, 7 months ago

Travelling abroad this summer? You may still need a coronavirus pass

Dutch News  

Regional health boards are expecting a run on coronavirus vaccinations heading into the summer now that the European Union has extended its vaccine passport for a year, the Telegraaf reported on Wednesday. ‘If the coronavirus entry pass remains in force in a certain country, then we expect the number of booster vaccinations to increase as we head towards the summer …

Travelling abroad this summer? You may still need a coronavirus pass
2 years, 7 months ago

Travelling abroad this summer? You may still need a coronavirus pass

Dutch News  

Regional health boards are expecting a run on coronavirus vaccinations heading into the summer now that the European Union has extended its vaccine passport for a year, the Telegraaf reported on Wednesday. ‘If the coronavirus entry pass remains in force in a certain country, then we expect the number of booster vaccinations to increase as we head towards the summer …

Fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose provides strong immunity boost: UK study
2 years, 7 months ago

Fourth Covid-19 vaccine dose provides strong immunity boost: UK study

India TV News  

A fourth dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is safe and boosts antibody levels, even higher than that of a third dose, according to the latest results from a nationwide study in the UK. The findings, published in The Lancet Infectious Disease journal, show that fourth dose mRNA booster vaccines for COVID-19 are well-tolerated in people who received …

AstraZeneca Covid Booster Shot Effective Against Severe Disease, UK Study Finds
2 years, 8 months ago

AstraZeneca Covid Booster Shot Effective Against Severe Disease, UK Study Finds

News 18  

London: The third dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is effective against symptomatic disease and hospitalisation, offering protection comparable to a booster shot of the Pfizer preventive, according to a study conducted in the UK. The results show that after 25 or more weeks since primary vaccination with AstraZeneca, vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease post Omicron infection was 8.0 per cent …

Is this what the end of the pandemic looks like? The UK's lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions has lessons for Australia
2 years, 8 months ago

Is this what the end of the pandemic looks like? The UK's lifting of all COVID-19 restrictions has lessons for Australia

ABC  

In one of Europe's busiest cities, there are few outward signs left of the raging global pandemic that disrupted the world for more than two years. After vaccines and boosters offered a pathway out of strict restrictions last year, England scaled back its public health measures on what was dubbed "Freedom Day" on July 19. "The amount of effort it …

COVID-19 infection rates hit new high for England, says new study
2 years, 9 months ago

COVID-19 infection rates hit new high for England, says new study

Firstpost  

According to the surveillance data of the study, the vast majority of the analysed positive samples were the Omicron BA.2 stealth variant, named due to the absence of certain genetic changes that can distinguish this variant easily from others London: Coronavirus infections in England climbed to a new record high with one in 16 or 6.37 per cent testing positive …

US opens second COVID boosters to 50 and up, others at risk
2 years, 9 months ago

US opens second COVID boosters to 50 and up, others at risk

Associated Press  

Americans 50 and older can get a second COVID-19 booster if it’s been at least four months since their last vaccination, a chance at extra protection for the most vulnerable in case the coronavirus rebounds. There’s evidence protection can wane particularly in higher-risk groups, and for them another booster “will help save lives,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said. …

International flights to resume tomorrow; govt considers COVID-19 booster dose for Indians travelling overseas
2 years, 9 months ago

International flights to resume tomorrow; govt considers COVID-19 booster dose for Indians travelling overseas

Firstpost  

With the restoration of normalcy, security personnel at airports are allowed to resume pat-down search of passengers, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation The scheduled international passenger flights are all set to resume from Sunday, after more than two years of COVID-19 infused ban on air travel. According to a report in Hindustan Times, “The Centre has announced several …

Govt Considering Covid Vaccine Booster Dose for Those Travelling Overseas for Edu, Jobs, Official & Biz Work
2 years, 9 months ago

Govt Considering Covid Vaccine Booster Dose for Those Travelling Overseas for Edu, Jobs, Official & Biz Work

News 18  

The government may soon allow a precaution dose of Covid-19 vaccine for those seeking to travel abroad for education, employment, sports and for attending official or business commitments, official sources said on Saturday. The Union Health Ministry is also learnt to have received representations for allowing administration of precaution dose for those seeking to travel for employment opportunities, educational purpose …

Centre mulls COVID booster shot for all above 18 years as infections surge in parts of the world
2 years, 9 months ago

Centre mulls COVID booster shot for all above 18 years as infections surge in parts of the world

Firstpost  

Currently, healthcare and frontline workers and those above 60 years are being administered the precaution doses of COVID vaccine New Delhi: The Centre is considering a COVID vaccine booster shot for all those above 18 years in view of a surge in coronavirus infections in parts of the world and also to ease difficulties faced during international travel, sources said …

Government mulls Covid booster shots for all above 18 years
2 years, 9 months ago

Government mulls Covid booster shots for all above 18 years

The Hindu  

The government is considering allowing booster dose of Covid vaccine for all those above 18 years in view of a surge in infections in parts of the world and ease difficulties faced during international travel, sources said on Monday. "The government is considering to allow booster dose of Covid vaccine to all those above 18 years in view of a …

Discover Related