Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Booster Dose Protects Adults Above 65 Against Omicron Infections: UK Study

Booster Dose Protects Adults Above 65 Against Omicron Infections: UK Study

The UK Health Security Agency analysis showed that around three months after the third jab, protection against hospitalisation among those aged 65 and over remains at about 90 per cent.

A third top-up booster dose of a COVID-19 vaccine provides high levels of protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant among older adults, a latest UK study concluded on Saturday.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) analysis showed that around three months after the third jab, protection against hospitalisation among those aged 65 and over remains at about 90 per cent.

Whilst with a booster shot, the duration of protection against severe disease remains high, protection against mild symptomatic infection is more short-lived and drops to around 30 per cent by about three months.

The UKHSA study examined booster shots in those aged over 65, who were among the first to be eligible when the UK's booster vaccination rollout began in mid-September 2021.

The latest findings also show that protection from getting severe infection from the Omicron variant of COVID-19 after the first two doses wanes within months.

"With just two vaccine doses, protection against severe infection drops to around 70 per cent after three months and to 50 per cent after six months," the study noted.

The UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) said it has taken this latest evidence into account in its ongoing review of the booster programme and decided against the need for a fourth booster dose rollout at this stage.

"The current data shows the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe infections, even for the most vulnerable older age groups. For this reason, the committee has concluded there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, though this will continue to be reviewed," said Professor Wei Shen Lim, the JCVI's chair of COVID-19 immunisation.

"The data is highly encouraging and emphasises the value of a booster jab. With Omicron continuing to spread widely, I encourage everyone to come forward for their booster dose, or if unvaccinated, for their first two doses, to increase their protection against serious illness," he said.

The JCVI has concluded that there is no immediate need to introduce a fourth jab to the most vulnerable groups such as care home residents and those aged over 80 and that priority should continue to be given to rolling out the first booster shots to all age groups.

However, extremely vulnerable patients with impaired immune systems are still advised to administer the fourth shot to get fully vaccinated.

More than 35 million boosters and third doses have now been administered across the UK, with the government's "Get Boosted Now" campaign at the end of last year to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases driven by the Omicron variant.

It comes at a time when the UK's daily infections rate continues to remain high, with another 178,250 cases being reported on Friday.

Hospitalisations, which have remained relatively low, have also started to rise among the vulnerable age groups.

As a result, the widespread staff absences due to self-isolation have caused severe pressures on the country's National Health Service (NHS), with Army personnel being drafted in for support in some regions.

"I think we have to be honest when we look at the NHS and say it will be a rocky few weeks ahead," said UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

About 4 per cent of hospital staff in England - nearly 36,000 - were off work for reasons related to COVID-19 during the week ending January 2. When other sickness absence is added, it brings the total to 9 per cent - nearly double what would normally be seen at this time of the year.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×