ONE in two adults will get a Covid booster jab this autumn to head off a winter wave.
The NHS is planning to offer extra vaccines to 25million over-65s, health and care workers and people with serious conditions from September.
Medics hope to avoid another Christmas cases surge by boosting immunity in those at most risk.
Infections are currently the lowest since mid-December but experts fear they will rise after summer as Covid becomes a seasonal bug.
Professor Wei Shen Lim, of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said: “Last year’s autumn booster programme provided excellent protection against severe Covid-19, including against Omicron.
“We have provided interim advice on an autumn booster programme for 2022 so that the NHS and care homes are able to start planning.”
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The rollout is set to include everyone older than 65, all care home residents and staff, carers, NHS workers and people with health conditions that raise their Covid risk.
It adds up to around 25.2million people across the UK – 48 per cent of the adult population.
Some 99 per cent of Brits have Covid-busting antibodies from jabs or infection but protection is set to wear off over the summer.
Figures show 93 per cent of over-12s have had at least one vaccine, with 87 per cent double-jabbed and 69 per cent boosted.
Most people offered the autumn 2022 booster will have already had three or four vaccines.
The latest data show a booster jab can still prevent 77 per cent of hospital admissions for Covid 15 weeks later.
Professor Jonathan Ball, a virologist at the University of Nottingham, said: “We know that immunity to Covid-19 contracts over time, so giving those individuals most at risk a boost just before virus circulation is likely to pick up during autumn and winter seems sensible.
“The exact timing will be important, as you don’t want to wait until virus circulation has already started to increase.
“Hopefully those most at risk have already had their spring booster, which will be standing them in good stead.”
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A Department of Health spokesperson said: “We will consider the JCVI’s final recommendations later this year.
“We have asked the NHS in England to begin preparations to ensure they are ready to deploy Covid vaccines to those eligible.”
