Statement from the Health and Social Care Secretary accepting
advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
to offer Moderna’s new bivalent vaccine as part of the autumn
Covid booster rollout.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“I have accepted the independent advice of the Joint Committee on
Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on which vaccines should be
offered in this autumn’s booster programme. This includes a
Moderna bivalent vaccine which will target two different variants
– the Omicron and original strain of Covid.
“Vaccines remain our best defence against Covid, and this safe
and effective vaccine will broaden immunity and potentially
improve protections against some variants as we learn to live
with this virus.
“Our vaccine rollout to date has been world leading – it has
already saved countless lives and reduced the pressure on the
NHS.
“We will begin to contact those eligible from early September,
and I would urge people to come forward as soon as they are
invited so together we can keep each safe and protect our NHS.”
Background
- The NHS will outline further deployment details in due course
- All adults and children aged 5 and over on the learning
disabilities register and with multiple and severe learning
disabilities will be eligible for an autumn booster.
- The UKHSA Green Book, which contains Covid vaccination
information for public health professionals, will be updated in
due course based on the final advice from the independent Joint
Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
