NHS England reveals those eligible for winter Covid-19 vaccinations

Following advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, NHS England will be offering Covid-19 booster vaccines to the over-65s and other eligible groups this winter.

Last autumn, however, all over-50s were invited to have a winter booster.

The full list of those eligible are:

• Residents in a care home for older adults
• All adults aged 65 years and over
• People aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group
• Frontline health and social care workers
• People aged 12 to 64 who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
• People aged 16 to 64 who are carers or staff working in care homes for older adults.

Committee Chair Professor Wei Shen Lim said the change to offer vaccines to the over-65s instead of the over-50s was about focusing on those at greatest risk of becoming seriously ill.

He said: “These persons will benefit the most from a booster vaccination. It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up a booster this autumn, helping to prevent them from hospitalisations and deaths arising from the virus over the winter months.”

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said he has accepted the advice and added: “I would urge anyone invited to come forward as soon as possible.”

NHS England will confirm details of the vaccine rollout soon, with the aim of having it completed by December.