# UK to offer COVID booster to all adults from September Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-08-15 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: UK to Offer COVID-19 Boosters from September Meta Description: Boost your immunity with the latest Omicron-adapted shot approved by the UK. Learn more about the upcoming autumn campaign for COVID-19 boosters. URL: https://financedigest.com/uk-to-offer-covid-booster-to-all-adults-from-septemberhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-08-15t171656z1lynxmpei7e0obrtroptp4health-coronavirus-britain-1736815468383-compressed.jpg) By Natalie Grover LONDON (Reuters) -All adults in the United Kingdom will be offered a COVID-19 booster starting from September, health officials said, hours after the country became the first in the world to approve an Omicron-adapted shot. The preference is to deploy what is known as a bivalent vaccine that targets both the original virus and the Omicron variant through the autumn campaign, but that will depend on the UK health regulator (MHRA) approving such shots and the state of vaccine supplies. Previously, the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) had advised boosters https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-weekly-covid-19-infections-rise-nearly-30-35-million-ons-2022-07-15 should be given to over 50s, individuals in clinical risk groups, [frontline workers and care-home staff](https://www.financedigest.com/the-icu-is-full-medical-staff-on-frontline-of-chinas-covid-fight-say-hospitals-are-overwhelmed.html "‘The ICU is full’: medical staff on frontline of China’s COVID fight say hospitals are ‘overwhelmed’") ahead of the winter, when respiratory viruses are typically at their peak. Around 26 million people in Britain are estimated to be eligible for an autumn COVID-19 [booster having had at least two COVID vaccine](https://www.financedigest.com/fda-advisers-back-the-same-covid-vaccine-for-initial-shots-boosters.html "FDA advisers back the same COVID vaccine for initial shots, boosters") doses already, a UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) spokesperson said. On Monday, the MHRA gave [Moderna’s bivalent shot conditional approval](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-first-to-approve-omicron-covid-shot-with-moderna-nod.html "UK first to approve Omicron COVID shot with Moderna nod"). The endorsement of the vaccine is based on [data that showed it produced a marginally better immune response](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-introduces-new-cyber-solution-in-response-to-eu-regulation-on-data-protection.html "Aon introduces new cyber solution in response to EU regulation on data protection") against some Omicron https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/variant-adapted-covid-vaccine-wins-first-approval-britain-2022-08-15 variants, versus the original novel coronavirus – although whether that translates into stronger protection against serious disease is unclear. UK contracts with Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech – the partnership behind the other mRNA [vaccine that has been tailored to also target Omicron – dictate that supply](https://www.financedigest.com/gsk-expects-us-launch-of-rsv-vaccine-with-no-supply-issues.html "GSK expects US launch of RSV vaccine with no supply issues") will switch to bivalent shots upon MHRA approval. A UKHSA spokesperson declined to provide details on how much supply the country has of the [Moderna bivalent shot](https://www.financedigest.com/moderna-says-its-covid-19-shot-93-effective-six-months-after-second-dose.html "Moderna says its COVID-19 shot 93% effective six months after second dose"). Where feasible, it would be preferable for a single type of booster vaccine to be offered throughout the duration of the [autumn programme for simplicity of deployment,” the JCVI said in a statement](https://www.financedigest.com/whats-in-store-for-britains-autumn-statement.html "What’s in Store for Britain’s Autumn Statement?") on Monday. At the same time, the JCVI also advised that the original [Moderna vaccine](https://www.financedigest.com/japan-finds-stainless-steel-particles-in-suspended-doses-of-moderna-vaccine.html "Japan finds stainless steel particles in suspended doses of Moderna vaccine"), the original Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, and the Novavax shot – for certain patients – can be used in the autumn booster campaign. “It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up a booster this autumn, whichever vaccine is on offer,” Wei Shen Lim, chair of COVID-19 immunisation on the JCVI, said in a statement. LOST MOMENTUM While the original [COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide](https://www.financedigest.com/recovery-bus-provides-cool-relief-for-s-koreas-covid-19-testers.html "‘Recovery bus’ provides cool relief for S.Korea’s COVID-19 testers") good protection against hospitalisation and death, vaccines have become less effective as the virus has evolved. Britain was the first to approve [COVID vaccinations](https://www.financedigest.com/first-foreign-covid-vaccines-head-to-china-from-germany.html "First foreign COVID vaccines head to China from Germany") in 2020, but has since lost momentum and is now in such a vulnerable position “any booster programme is to be warmly welcomed,” Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College, London, told Reuters. The debate about the nuances of which booster is tricky – the bivalent booster may [offer some additional benefit against the BA.5 variant now dominant in Britain](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-urges-banks-to-offer-mortgage-flexibility-in-cost-of-living-crisis.html "Britain urges banks to offer mortgage flexibility in cost-of-living crisis"), although this may not be substantial, Altmann said. “Still, the benefit coming into a difficult winter will be palpable if we can really encourage large-scale uptake,” he said. In the [week ending](https://www.financedigest.com/european-shares-end-five-day-losing-streak-still-down-for-the-week.html "European shares end five-day losing streak, still down for the week") Aug. 5, more than 800 deaths were registered within 28 days of positive [COVID test](https://www.financedigest.com/china-arrivals-in-uk-next-week-will-not-face-compulsory-covid-tests-independent.html "China arrivals in UK next week will not face compulsory COVID tests -Independent") in England, data https://coronavirus.data.gov.uk published by the UK government showed. (Reporting by Natalie Grover in London; editing by Barbara Lewis) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---