EVERYONE over the age of 18 in England will be eligible to get their Covid booster jab from TODAY, Boris Johnson announced on Sunday.
The Prime Minister made the promise as he launched a “national mission” to beat the Omicron variant.
He said in his televised press conference on Sunday: “From tomorrow in England, we are opening up the booster to every adult over 18 who has had a second dose of the vaccine at least three months ago.
“The NHS Booking System will be open for these younger age groups from Wednesday, and that’s the best way to guarantee your slot, but in some places you can walk in from tomorrow.”
Data shows boosters offer up to 75 per cent protection from mild infection from Omicron, with Trending In The News relaunching our hugely successful Jabs Army campaign.
Mr Johnson said it will “require an extraordinary effort” to get everyone jabbed as quick as possible.
He added: “To hit the pace we need, we’ll need to match the NHS’s best vaccination day yet – and then beat it day after day.
“And as we focus on boosters and make this new target achievable, it will mean some other appointments will need to be postponed until the New Year.
But striking a positive tone despite the gloomy data, the PM insisted that “we are a great country” and the vaccine was still our best chance of getting life back to normal.
He vowed: “We have the vaccines to protect our people.
“Let’s get boosted now – for yourself, for your friends and your family.
“To protect jobs and livelihoods across this country.
“To protect our NHS, our freedoms and our way of life.”
Johnson’s comments come after the UK’s four Chief Medical Officers raised the Covid Alert level to four, its second-highest level.
In a stark warning to the country the PM said: “No-one should be in any doubt: there is a tidal wave of Omicron coming, and I’m afraid it is now clear that two doses of vaccine are simply not enough to give the level of protection we all need.
“But the good news is that our scientists are confident that with a third dose – a booster dose – we can all bring our level of protection back up.”
Read our Omicron live blog for the latest updates
He added: “So we must get boosted now.”
To help with the booster drive Johnson announced the setting up of 42 military planning teams across every region, creating additional vaccine sites and mobile units, extending opening hours so clinics are open seven days a week, with more appointments early in the morning, in the evening, and at weekends and training thousands more volunteer vaccinators.
He said further measures to deal with the drive would be announced in the coming days.
It comes as:
- PM vows all adults will get Covid boosters THIS MONTH
- Covid alert level raised to four as transmission is ‘high’
- Everything you can and can’t do from tomorrow as Plan B hits
- Omicron cases rise 65% is 24 hours
- Ministers refuse to guarantee all schools will open in January
- Covid contacts ordered to take daily tests from Tuesday
- First Omicron patients in hospital as minister warns of 1m cases by New Year
- Thousands of readers sign up for Trending In The News’s Jabs Army campaign
The heightened alert comes after it was revealed Brits are in hospital suffering with the Omicron mutation on Sunday.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi confirmed there are now patients on wards who have tested positive for the strain – and said we face a race to get all adults the booster.
It’s not known if those in hospital are seriously ill or in ICU, and no one is yet known to have died as a result of contracting the variant.
On Wednesday, the PM addressed the nation to unveil Plan B – making mask-wearing compulsory in some indoor settings and introducing vaccine passports.
An additional 1,239 cases of Omicron have been recorded yesterday, bringing the total number of confirmed variant cases to 3,137.
The UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) said cases of the mutation have increased in the last day as fears continue to grow over Omicron.
On Saturday, 633 new cases of the variant were recorded – which means mutation cases are on the rise with today’s 1,239 infections.
With the growing number of cases, MPs have allegedly been warned to be “on standby” to vote on new restrictions during Christmas week.
Plan C may be enacted before Christmas as MPs have been told to prepare for a Parliament recall on December 21 if the Covid situation spirals, it’s been reported.
Meanwhile, Sajid Javid has been told to trigger Plan C restrictions within a WEEK by gloomy health officials, it’s been reported.
The Health Secretary was allegedly told by doom-mongers at the UK Health and Security Agency that Omicron risks overwhelming the NHS as 5,000 Brits could be admitted to hospital a day.
However – a third jab can combat Omicron and save us from more lockdown pain, says a morale-boosting study.
