Third booster jab for over 50s in Autumn

[RedToothBrush]

Times reporting today that the current plan going forward is now to give a third jab to the over 50s and clinically vulnerable in the Autumn.

Its thought that case numbers will be so low it wont be necessary to boost the under 50s unless they have clinical need.

The proposal is to do this at the same time as the flu vaccine. (which leaves the question hanging about those under 50 who qualify for the free flu jab due to work).

There are two trials ongoing over how to do this apparently. One is a variant specific booster (similar to how we do flu vaccines) and the other is just a straight booster with the same vaccines we've already got (it doesn't say anything about mix and matching vaccines I note).

This sounds extremely promising and proactive though I confess I'm not entirely sure how I feel about being in my 40s and apparently not needing a booster.

It does sound as if the autumn may be less fraught with concern regarding a new wave than has been suggested up to this point.

To me it does seem like we need to grapple with the ethics of rolling boosters when so much of the world has zero access to vaccines.

Hopefully they'll just roll it in with the flu jab eventually and that will be that.

Bring it on!

@Lucidas

To me it does seem like we need to grapple with the ethics of rolling boosters when so much of the world has zero access to vaccines.

@lucidas - What would you suggest then? That we don’t bother with a booster and let another wave of Covid wash over us?

It will be interesting to see what they do about mixing vaccines. I'm on the study where you get a different second vaccine & they should have some information by then, but the study doesn't finish until next year. Presumably they will have to break the blind on those of us who've been jabbed & allow us another one which will mess up their study a bit.
Quite a task for the NHS (again!)

@Inastatus - if we can help the rest of the world with their initial vaccination programmes then the chances of another "wave of CV washing over us" are reduced as the levels of infection will reduce for everyone.

@Lucidas

To me it does seem like we need to grapple with the ethics of rolling boosters when so much of the world has zero access to vaccines.

If the countries that do have it use it then that's more herd immunity for those who can't afford it.

I don't think a new shot for variants will be available, because the flu jab update needs to be settled (for the northern hemisphere) by about Feb/March to allow for manufacturing time and testing (which is much faster for an update than a new to market) to be ready for distribution and administration by autumn (one month delay threw the timelines quite badly in 2019)

I expect this will go ahead giving one of the existing jabs, and depending on results of the heterologous studies underway, might be deliberately a different one to your primary course

I wonder how they will square the circle of asthmatics who are eligible for the flu jab but who have been told they aren’t vulnerable enough to get an early Covid jab?

I hope they will offer a booster to those with asthma. It’s been a bit odd how some asthmatics have been left behind by the vaccination programme.

@SomewhereOnlyWeKnew

I wonder how they will square the circle of asthmatics who are eligible for the flu jab but who have been told they aren’t vulnerable enough to get an early Covid jab?

I wondered this too! Will they do the right thing and give asthmatics they neglected this year the booster... or just take the flu jab off us? I’m joking with that last bit. I think. Every other country is prioritising asthmatics with steroid inhalers but oh no not Britain, that would have meant them missing their world beating target.

I'm curious how they are already running trials with the variant specific booster - I thought the various vaccine companies were only just now testing those vaccines at the moment in quite small scale studies (and not in the UK) to check that they respond to variants, not as part of an over-50s booster programme to see how it boosts immunity or how it compares to a third booster of the same (or different) vaccine.

Does anyone know where these studies are being done, and which vaccines and tweaked vaccines are being used?

I had heard that they were considering starting to trial a third vaccine of the currently available ones, to see how that affected immunity, but I couldn't find a study to sign up to - maybe they were just in specific locations, but don't remember hearing about any UK studies yet with tweaked vaccines, let alone a comparative one (and also testing it in combination with flu vaccine more - I knew they were testing that separately and to see if generally it works, but a trial that compares a third booster given at the same or different time to flu vaccine in this vulnerable populations would be useful)

I'm on the flu jab list for a neurological condition and my GP wouldn't add me to group 6. Interesting.

@RedToothBrush

Times reporting today that the current plan going forward is now to give a third jab to the over 50s and clinically vulnerable in the Autumn.

Its thought that case numbers will be so low it wont be necessary to boost the under 50s unless they have clinical need.

The proposal is to do this at the same time as the flu vaccine. (which leaves the question hanging about those under 50 who qualify for the free flu jab due to work).

There are two trials ongoing over how to do this apparently. One is a variant specific booster (similar to how we do flu vaccines) and the other is just a straight booster with the same vaccines we've already got (it doesn't say anything about mix and matching vaccines I note).

This sounds extremely promising and proactive though I confess I'm not entirely sure how I feel about being in my 40s and apparently not needing a booster.

It does sound as if the autumn may be less fraught with concern regarding a new wave than has been suggested up to this point.

Why do you think you need a booster (unless clinical vulnerable)?

You're in your 40s? The risk of being ill from covid is extremely low. In fact it's not until you're over 60 that the risk even starts to rise a bit. Vaccinate vulnerable and then we can all stop worrying and carry on as usual.

Would imagine, according to supply, that under 50s eventually will be able to get boosters, annual jabs privately. Think this will be the stepping stone to paying.

Sounds like someone is set to make alot of money..wait for the 4th booster come January!

As others have said, if combined with the flu vaccine it does raise interesting questions for those of us who qualify for the flu vaccine but weren’t in group 6. Especially as at least in terms of asthmatics there has been inconsistency between GPs with some deciding to include all asthmatics in group 6 regardless of the guidance, and some sticking to the guidance

@Inastatus

Well there might not be another wave if we help stop covid raging in the developing world... Otherwise we'll just be racing against endless variants and mutations.

@Schulte

I hope they will offer a booster to those with asthma. It’s been a bit odd how some asthmatics have been left behind by the vaccination programme.

I'd be happy if they'd give the first vaccine to my cev asthmatic child let alone a booster

Fingers crossed children can have a jab soon. I hope though that if my asthmatic DD catches COVID, she can shrug it off due to her age. Who knows. However this is off topic, sorry!

Seems that GPs everywhere have used their own rules for deciding who should be in group 6. Some of my friends were included and have no idea why, while others who should probably have been included were not. Maybe they’ll review the list when it comes to boosters.

Pfizer have already stated that a third shot is needed, the drop off of protection is still at the early stages of investigation. I am wondering if this is what novavax is going to be for.

I was expecting that news some weeks ago ie boosters for all aged x plus.

Will it be the exactly the same jab as 1st & 2nd, a different one altogether or the same as the 1 and 2 but tweaked, we shall find out in a few months.

About mixing, be careful and weary re MHRA as I can't forget what the MHRA were say re clots when several countries cited a possible connection between AZ jabs and clots.

I want the jabs to work but also be safe and important that open and honset info is shared with the people of the UK asap.

As others have said Pifzer is already working on 3rd jab as is AZ I think but mixing two differnt platforms, we need evidence it works and is safe.

Please wear you mask as per rules and look, read about countries where people wear masks in public places voluntarily as it does help everyone from fumes, colds, flus and more to a certain degree.

Seems sensible to me. I'd assumed this would eventually become an annual thing and everyone who gets the flu jab gets a covid jab at the same.

@SomewhereOnlyWeKnew

I wonder how they will square the circle of asthmatics who are eligible for the flu jab but who have been told they aren’t vulnerable enough to get an early Covid jab?

Another wondering this.

I'm sure I read they are trying to developing a combined covid+flu vaccination but won't be ready this winter - so in future hopfully it will eventually be one injection.