Spring Booster vaccine: Who is eligible for fourth booster jab and how long after Covid can you have it?

Spring boosters have been made available to the UK’s most vulnerable – with more people likely to be made eligible later this year.

Millions of people were made eligible for their fourth dose of the Covid vaccine.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has hinted at more being made eligible later this year.

Speaking on ITV, he said: “Their most recent advice is that they think that towards the end of this year, maybe in the autumn, there will be a need to give a lot more people a boost – an offer of a boost. But I’ll wait for that advice.”

When does the rollout begin?

From March 21, the NHS has been calling forward those eligible for their fourth vaccine.

Bookings opened at 7am.

How do I book fourth Covid-19 vaccine?

Appointments can be booked via 119 which is free from mobiles and landlines.

Lines are open daily from 8am to 8pm with support in 200 languages.

You can also book via the NHS website.

Who is eligible for their fourth jab?

The JCVI has advised a booster jab should be offered to vulnerable individuals this spring.

This prioritises people over 75 years old and over 12s who are immunosuppressed.

More than 600,000 people will be contacted by the NHS to kick off the programme this week.

Up to five million people have been made eligible in the latest phase of the Covid vaccine rollout.

Immunosuppressed people may be eligible for their fifth dose while most will be able to get their fourth jab at this stage.

How long after my last vaccination should I wait to have a booster?

People are advised to wait six months since their previous dose for maximum protection from a spring booster.

For your next jab, the NHS will contact you three months (91 days) after your last dose to get a booster vaccine.

But you can book an appointment yourself two months (61 days) after your previous dose.

How long after Covid can you have a booster jab?

If you have had a positive Covid-19 test you should wait before your next jab.

People aged 18 and over, and eligible children aged 12 to 15, need to wait 4 weeks.

Most young people aged 16 and 17 need to wait 12 weeks.

This is from the first date of showing symptoms or – if you showed no symptoms – the first date of a positive lateral flow or PCR test.