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Bookings Open For Spring Covid Boosters

Islanders aged 75 and over can get another Covid vaccine dose from Friday 11 March, as can care home residents and those aged 12 and above with weakened immune systems.

Appointments can be booked now.

Vaccine teams will visit care homes over the next couple of weeks.

Those aged 12 and above who are eligible for another dose will be given an appointment date and time that's around six months since their last Covid jab.

Housebound islanders who got a home visit for previous vaccinations don't need to book an appointment or call the coronavirus helpline.

The government says they'll be contacted directly to arrange another home visit.

Dr. Ivan Muscat, the Deputy Medical Officer of Health, says it's important to keep immunity levels as high as possible.

"The latest evidence shows that booster doses provide high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant.

Older Islanders and immunosuppressed Islanders are at an increased risk of hospitalisation if they catch COVID-19 without having the protection that vaccination provides.

Booster doses act as a ‘top up’ to maintain the highest level of protection, as immunity from previous doses begins to decrease more quickly compared to younger individuals or non-immunosuppressed individuals."

Other islanders are being asked to book an appointment rather than just walk-in, so the vaccination team can focus on the Spring Booster campaign for vulnerable islanders.

At least three months need to have passed since the last vaccine to have another one.

Emma Baker, who heads up the vaccine programme, says it's important that vulnerable and elderly islanders continue to be well protected against Covid-19.

"By getting a spring booster now, eligible Islanders should be ready for their co-vaccination of flu and potential further COVID-19 boosters later in the year.

The team will be visiting care homes initially and then housebound Islanders over the next few weeks to ensure those vulnerable or older Islanders are able to receive the spring booster more easily.

I would like to ask families and friends of elderly relatives aged 75 and over to help them book their vaccination appointment at Fort Regent."

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