The Government have today released details of the Spring 2023 Covid booster programme. This includes who is eligible for the booster, when people will be offered a dose, and future booster doses. Read on for more.
This article was updated on 11 April to include new information stating that clinically vulnerable children will be offered 2 doses of vaccine.
Who Will Be Offered The Spring Booster?
People will be offered the spring booster only if they are clinically high risk for being severely ill in hospital, or dying, if they catch Covid-19. Although boosters also protect against less serious illness at home, and against developing Long Covid, the Government have decided not to offer boosters beyond a very small group.
It does not appear that people who live with or care for clinically high risk people will be offered the booster.
People who have not had their primary Covid vaccinations (i.e. the two or three first doses) can still ask for these to be done. You do not have to be high risk to ask for your primary vaccinations – they are available to all adults and teenagers.
Spring Booster For Over 16s
If you are over 75, or live in a residential care home for older adults, you will be offered a booster dose even if you don’t have any of the conditions below. If you are turning 75 this spring, or if you are moving into residential care this spring, you may be offered the booster immediately.
Otherwise, if you are over 16, you will only be offered a booster if you are severely immunosuppressed due to disease or treatment. This includes cancer patients and people on immunosuppressant medication.
Clinically Vulnerable Groups Not Confirmed As Eligible
The following groups are listed in the Government guidance as high risk, and extremely clinically vulnerable. These groups have previously been eligible for Covid boosters. However, it seems almost certain that these groups are not eligible for the Spring booster.
- Chronic respiratory disease
- Chronic heart disease and vascular disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological disease
- Adults who have had a stroke or TIA
- Adults with cerebral palsy
- Adults with severe, profound, or multiple learning disabilities including anyone on the learning disability register,
- Adults with Downs Syndrome
- Adults with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Adults with epilepsy
- Adults with dementia
- Adults with Parkinson’s Disease
- Adults with motor neurone disease (MND)
- Diabetes
- Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment
- This includes cancer patients, and people on immunosuppressant medication
- Asplenia or spleen disfunction
- Morbid obesity
- Severe mental illness – schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, or any other mental illness that causes severe functional impairment
- Pregnancy – all stages
Spring Booster For Under 16s
If you are aged under 16, you will only be offered a booster if you are severely immunosuppressed due to disease or treatment. This includes cancer patients and people on immunosuppressant medication.
If you are aged 5 to 16, and are very severely immunosuppressed (usually with cancer), and you have not had your third primary vaccine dose, you will be offered this third dose before your booster.
If you are aged between 6 months and 4 years old and are clinically vulnerable (including chronic respiratory, heart, or conditions, neurological disease, or you are immunosuppressed) you will be offered 2 primary doses of vaccine. You may be offered a booster dose later this year, but this has not yet been confirmed.
If you are aged between 6 months and 4 years old and are severely immunosuppressed, you will be offered a third primary dose this summer, after you have received your two initial primary doses (see above).
Clinically Vulnerable Groups Not Confirmed As Eligible
The following groups are listed in the Government guidance as high risk, and extremely clinically vulnerable. These groups have previously been eligible for Covid boosters. However, it seems almost certain that these groups are not eligible for the Spring booster.
- Chronic respiratory disease
- Chronic heart conditions
- Chronic liver/kidney/digestive system conditions
- Chronic neurological disease, including:
- Neurodisability including cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, and muscular dystrophy
- Hereditary/degenerative disease of nervous system or muscles
- Severe, profound, or multiple learning disabilities including all those on the learning disability register
- People with Downs Syndrome
- Endocrine disorders
- Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment
- Asplenia or spleen disfunction
- Serious genetic abnormalities
- Pregnancy – all stages
More information on who is eligible, and what specific conditions in the above categories are eligible, can be found in Tables 3 and 4 of the Government’s Green Book on Covid-19 – see the link at the end of this article.
When Will I Be Offered My Booster Dose?
The Government say that booster doses will be offered 6 months after your most recent vaccine dose. If your last dose was less than 6 months ago, you will still be offered a booster, but not until at least 3 months after your last dose.
If you are scheduled to start immunosuppressing treatment (e.g. for cancer) this spring, speak to your doctor about the booster. They may decide to give you the booster before your treatment starts, or delay it until after it has finished.
Will There Be Further Booster Campaigns?
The Government has said that there may be a booster programme in Autumn 2023 “in preparation for winter 2023 to 2024”. It is unclear whether this programme will go ahead, if more people will be eligible for the autumn booster, or whether it will be limited to clinically high risk people. More details on this are expected nearer the time.
More Information & Sources
BuDS has published a second article covering some of the interesting details and facts about this booster campaign. Read it here: https://buds.org.uk/covid-pandemic-uk-government-officially-gives-up/
To read all of our articles about Covid-19, click here: https://buds.org.uk/category/our-work/iag-covid-19/
To read the full Government press release about the Spring Booster campaign, click here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/spring-2023-covid-19-vaccination-programme-jcvi-advice-22-february-2023/
To read the Government announcement covering the expansion of the vaccination program to clinically vulnerable under 5s, click here: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/06/covid-vaccine-vulnerable-babies-children
To read the detailed summary of how the programme will work, and get more information on who is eligible, click here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1140811/Greenbook-chapter-14a-7March2023.pdf