NHS England has reported that more than ten million people have now received their COVID-19 booster ahead of winter, hitting a significant milestone in the UK’s autumn booster campaign.
Around 2.3 million people received their autumn booster in one week alone, with the vaccination programme delivering an average of two million per week throughout October.
The high uptake comes amid warnings from health leaders of a COVID-19 and flu ‘twindemic’ this winter, with the public urged to come forward for their boosters. To this end, reminders have also been sent out to almost one million people aged 65 years and over and those at risk who are yet to receive their booster.
NHS director of vaccinations and screening, Steve Russell, said: “Thanks to the incredible efforts of staff, the NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme has now delivered more than ten million autumn boosters in less than two months, providing vital protection to those most susceptible to COVID-19 ahead of winter.
“We are continuing to invite and encourage everyone eligible who has yet to take up the offer of a COVID-19 booster or flu jab to come forward with the threat of a ‘twindemic’ from both viruses circulating this winter.”
Approximately 26 million people are eligible for an autumn COVID-19 booster, and 33 million people are eligible for a flu vaccine.
The UK’s autumn booster campaign includes everyone aged 50 and over, those considered high-risk aged five years and over, care home staff, frontline health and social care workers, unpaid carers and household contacts of people with weakened immune systems and those who are pregnant.
Originally, the autumn booster campaign was set to include all those over the age of 65, rather than all those over the age of 50, but the programme was expanded in response to the spread of the Omicron variant.
Despite the milestone booster achievement, the NHS also said it is preparing for a challenging winter period, having outlined a package of measures in August that aims to boost capacity and resilience ahead of the substantial pressures expected.
England’s health chiefs outlined the measures in a letter to colleagues, including plans to create the equivalent of 7,000 more beds through a mixture of temporary units at hospital sites and 2,500 ‘virtual ward spaces’ where patients would be monitored at home.
Further plans have been announced more recently, including rapid response teams to help people who have fallen at home and 24/7 ‘care traffic control centres’.