Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Booster Covid jabs for adults are ‘going ahead’, Boris Johnson announces

Leading scientists have criticised third doses as unnecessary for most people – arguing the UK should save lives in the developing world instead

Rob Merrick
Deputy Political Editor
Monday 13 September 2021 08:37 EDT
Comments
Booster Covid jabs for adults are ‘going ahead’, Boris Johnson announces

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Booster Covid jabs for adults are “going ahead’, Boris Johnson has said, despite government advisers having yet to publish recommendations.

Some members of the Joint Committee for Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) have criticised extending third jabs beyond the most elderly and vulnerable as unnecessary.

But, quizzed on a visit to the East Midlands, the prime minister said: “That’s going ahead – that’s already been approved.”

Mr Johnson had been expected to unveil some sort of booster programme as the central part of a “toolbox” of Covid-fighting measures to be outlined in a document on Tuesday.

He will tell Britons in a press conference at Downing Street that mandatory facemasks could be reintroduced, and work from home guidance reinstated, if a third wave of coronavirus infections surges this winter.

The prime minister will also make clear that compulsory vaccination for large events has not been ruled out forever, despite fierce opposition from Tory backbenchers.

His official spokesperson today told reporters that Covid passports were being kept “in reserve as an option” and that future lockdowns would be introduced “only as a last resort”.

However, the key strategy will be to implement a vaccine booster campaign – and extend first jabs to 12 to 15-year-olds, to curb infections in schools, if medical officers approve it.

The JCVI reached agreement on boosters at a meeting last Thursday and their advice has been passed to ministers, but not yet published.

Last week, Professor Andrew Pollard, the JCVI chair, came out against third vaccines for most adults in the UK, arguing there is a moral duty to share jabs with the developing world and save lives.

He echoed the criticism of Sarah Gilbert, the professor who developed the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, who said only the elderly and most vulnerable needed a third dose.

Of the 100 million vaccines the UK has pledged to send overseas by the middle of 2022, only 9 million have been delivered so far.

But Mr Johnson said he had no doubt that booster jabs would be “a good thing” – also urging the “10 per cent or so” who still have not had a single jab to “please go and get one”.

On vaccine passports to enter night clubs and other crowded venues – a plan dumped by the government on Sunday – he confirmed they would be kept in reserve.

“What we want to do is avoid vaccine passports, if we possibly can. That’s the course we’re on but I think you’ve got to be prudent and you’ve got to keep things in reserve in case things change,” Mr Johnson said.

“They are both right” the prime minister said, of health secretary Sajid Javid – who announced the axeing of the plan – and Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, who insisted last week that it must go ahead.

He also backed Priti Patel, the home secretary who appeard to have broken the ministerial code again, this time by arranging a business meeting for a billionaire Tory donor.

Asked, in Leicester, if she had done anything wrong, the prime minister replied: “No, she’s doing an excellent job as home secretary and will continue to do so.”

And he again failed to quell speculation about a looming Cabinet reshuffle, saying only: “I think people in this country are focused on bouncing through from Covid and the plan for jobs.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in