NHS warns Covid jab ‘stragglers’ they must not delay coming forward

Booster vaccines are ‘the best way to protect yourself, your family and your friends’ so ‘stragglers’ must not delay, warns top NHS medic

Professor Stephen Powis tells Covid jab ‘stragglers’ they must not delay (PA)

The NHS’ most senior doctor has warned people holding out on getting their Covid booster jab “must not delay”.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS medical director, has told the public the best way to protect themselves is to have their jab and warned “stragglers” must not delay coming forward.

His warning comes after the NHS hit a record of 933, 501 jabs given in a single day. A total of 31 million boosters were given as of Wednesday 23 December.

The record comes ahead of the government’s target for every adult in the UK to be offered a booster vaccine before the new year.

Coronavirus cases in the UK hit 122,186 on Friday, while daily Covid hospitalisations reached 171 as of 20 December.

The NHS said so far seven in 10 people – 27,217,951 – aged 18 and over, who were eligible to receive the top-up vaccine had theirs. This would mean nearly 39 million more booster jabs will need to be administered before 1 January.

As part of its drive, the NHS has opened vaccine centres over Christmas and Boxing Day.

According to NHS England uptake of first Covid doses has increased by 46 per cent in the week of the 15 to 21 December, and second doses increased by 39 per cent.

In a briefing, published on Friday, the UK Health Security Agency said evidence to date showed an increased “waning” of protection against symptomatic Covid disease after a second vaccine dose and by 10 weeks after a booster dose.

Waning is faster for the dominant Omicron variant compared to Delta, however the briefing said: “There are insufficient severe cases of Omicron ... to analyse vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation, but this is expected to be better sustained, for both primary and booster doses.”

Professor Powis said: “The evidence is clear. One or two jabs can help but they do not provide the protection we all need against Omicron. So if you are eligible for a Covid vaccination but haven’t had one there is no time to lose – you need to get boosted now.

“Staff and volunteers on the NHS Covid vaccination programme are working throughout Christmas and the entire holiday period to make sure people can get the protection they need as conveniently as possible. You can go online and pick from thousands of vaccine sites to book an appointment with no need for long queues.

“It’s the best way to protect yourself, your family and your friends so my message to the stragglers is clear: don’t delay any longer come forward and sort your jab now.”

The NHS also hit a new milestone of 110 million Covid vaccinations delivered in total across England.

Dr Emily Lawson, head of the NHS covid vaccination programme, said: “The best gift you can give your loved ones this Christmas is to get vaccinated, and with many sites continuing to deliver vaccines over the festive period it has never been easier to get your first, second or booster jab – so please come forward as soon as you can and get protected against coronavirus this winter.”