Three months after the third shot, safety in opposition to hospitalisation stays excessive (Image: PA)

Britons nonetheless don’t want a fourth Covid jab because the booster dose remains to be offering a robust defence in opposition to extreme illness, consultants have mentioned.

Three months after receiving the third jab, safety in opposition to hospitalisation stays at about 90% for over-65s, in line with the UK Well being Safety Company.

However safety in opposition to milder signs drops to round 30% by about three months, the organisation’s information reveals.

For many who have solely had their first two photographs, safety in opposition to extreme illness falls to round 70% after three months, and 50% after six.

Due to this, the UK’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation says the precedence stays guaranteeing extra individuals get all three doses.

That is regardless of some international locations together with Israel rolling out fourth jabs in a bid to cease the unfold of the Omicron variant.

The JCVI says its precedence remains to be getting individuals to have their first, second and third photographs (Image: Getty Photographs)

The UKHSA mentioned right here is ‘no instant have to introduce a second booster dose, or fourth jab, to essentially the most susceptible (care residence residents and people aged over 80)’.

It added: ‘Timing and want for additional booster doses will proceed to be reviewed as the info evolves.’

JCVI chair of Covid-19 immunisation Professor Wei Shen Lim, mentioned: ‘The present information present the booster dose is continuous to offer excessive ranges of safety in opposition to extreme illness, even for essentially the most susceptible older age teams.

‘That is extremely encouraging and emphasises the worth of a booster jab.

‘With Omicron persevering with to unfold broadly, I encourage everybody to return forwards for his or her booster dose, or if unvaccinated, for his or her first 2 doses, to extend their safety in opposition to severe sickness.’

To date, the Authorities has accepted recommendation that severely immunosuppressed individuals ought to have a fourth vaccination three months after their first booster.

Greater than 35million booster doses have at present been given out within the UK, in comparison with 47.6million second photographs and almost 51.9million first jabs.

Nonetheless, the sheer variety of infections at present sweeping Britain nonetheless signifies that rising hospitalisations are placing strain on the NHS.

Plenty of the well being service’s trusts have declared ‘vital incidents’ and the Military is on standby to help embattled docs and nurses.

Whereas infections amongst youthful individuals began off the present wave of Omicron instances, a shift in direction of older age teams in latest weeks is prone to put extra pressure on hospitals.

Right now one other 178,250 instances had been confirmed, whereas 18,454 individuals are at present in hospital with Covid-19.

Nonetheless fatalities are nonetheless comparatively a lot decrease in comparison with this time final yr, with one other 229 individuals dying inside 28 days of testing constructive.

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