COVID booster for care homes from 5th September

The bivalent booster will offer protection against the Omicron strain and the original COVID-19 strain from 2020

The Government has announced plans for a new bivalent COVID booster to be rolled out across care homes in England from Monday 5th September. The UK is the first country to approve the bivalent version of the vaccine.

Some people will be offered the bivalent booster and the flu jab at the same time. There should be a three-month gap between the date of the autumn booster and any previous COVID jab.

The National Booking Service will also open that week ahead of the wider rollout, due to start on the 12th of September, with those who are most susceptible to serious illness from COVID-19 and those aged 75 and over invited to book an appointment online or through 119. Care staff will also be able to book a booster vaccine through this system.

Vic Stone, one of our operations managers and our Coronavirus Lead, said, "At Pilgrims' Friend Society, we are working with the NHS to ensure our residents who would like to be vaccinated can receive their vaccines and get protected as soon as possible ahead of the winter months."

To read the full Government guidance, see here.