Q&A: Everything you need to know about getting your third jab

Why is the booster rollout being accelerated?

A third dose of the Covid vaccine has been long planned because the immunity vaccines offer against the virus wanes over time. Originally the booster was on offer to the over-40s, but the rapid spread of the Omicron variant means the programme is being sped up. Online appointments for the over-30s were opened yesterday, and from tomorrow those aged 18 to 29 will able to book.

What’s happened to the bookings website?

Yesterday morning no fewer than 110,000 people visited the website before 9am to secure a booster jab. This led to the website crashing, and some people were left in a queue for hours. NHS Digital was forced to bring in extra capacity to allow more people to book. A spokesman said: ‘The vaccine booking service is facing extremely high demand and is operating a queuing system to manage numbers. We would advise people currently unable to book to try again later today or tomorrow.’

A third dose of the Covid vaccine has been long planned because the immunity vaccines offer against the virus wanes over time

What’s the situation at walk-in centres?

Thousands have turned up at walk-in vaccine centres up and down the country. Long queues were seen outside many as people tried to get their boosters as soon as possible. Hundreds waited outside the centre in Hungerford, Berkshire, and many had to wait more than four hours to be seen. Some people reported being turned away in parts of the country, due to the huge demand.

When will the third doses be completed?

Boris Johnson announced a new target allowing all adults to get a jab by the end of the year. However NHS England and the Department of Health say the target is that everyone should be offered the chance to book a jab by then – meaning some people may not receive them until January. But Downing Street insist the Prime Minister meant what he said. The target will mean a million jabs will have to be given every day – many more than the previous daily record of around 850,000.

What does it mean for vaccine passports?

People who want to go to a nightclub or another large venue have been told to show the NHS Covid pass to gain entry. Yesterday Sajid Javid said the passports would soon require three jabs to gain entry.

Thousands have turned up at walk-in vaccine centres up and down the country

Source: Read Full Article