What we know about waning immunity and Covid booster jabs

The decision to roll out third doses on a mass scale has divided experts. So what does the science suggest? Samuel Lovett explains

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Britain has become the latest nation to announce its plans to roll out booster jabs, joining Israel and the US, amid fears of waning protection levels among the vaccinated.

The administration of a third vaccine dose for the over-50s will provide an immunological ‘top-up’ for these people, ensuring they remain protected against severe disease and hospitalisation.

The debate around whether or not booster jabs are necessary has raged for months, with many scientists arguing that the data isn’t clear enough to support these programmes – especially at a time when millions of people across the world remain unvaccinated.