Millions of people most vulnerable to coronavirus may be offered a booster vaccination from September to ensure the protection they have from first and second doses is maintained ahead of winter.

Following interim advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the government has said that its plan is to offer booster vaccines from September 2021, in order to prolong the protection that vaccines provide in those who are most vulnerable to serious coronavirus ahead of the winter months. The two-stage programme would take place alongside the annual flu vaccination programme.

The final JCVI advice will be published before September and will take into account the latest epidemiological situation, additional scientific data from trials such as Cov-Boost, real-time surveillance of the effectiveness of the vaccines over time and emerging variants.

Dependent on final advice, the booster programme will be designed to protect as many vulnerable people as possible from becoming seriously ill due to coronavirus over the winter period.

Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “The phenomenal vaccine rollout has already saved tens of thousands of lives and prevented millions of infections, helping to wrestle back control of the pandemic and ease lockdown restrictions so we can return to normal as soon as possible.

“We welcome this interim advice, which will help us ensure we are ready in our preparations for autumn. We look forward to receiving the committee’s final advice in due course. We need to learn to live with this virus. Our first Covid-19 vaccination programme is restoring freedom in this country, and our booster programme will protect this freedom. We are working with the NHS to make sure we can rapidly deliver this programme to maintain protection for people in the winter months.”