All boosters protect against coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has issued its recommendation on which vaccinations should be used in this year’s fall booster schedule.

All of the available boosters give excellent protection against serious disease from COVID-19 and the Committee has highlighted that having a booster in good time before the winter season is more essential for individuals eligible than the kind of vaccination that is administered.

The vaccinations indicated for use in the fall booster plan are:

For adults aged 18 years and above:

• Moderna mRNA (Spikevax) bivalent Omicron BA.1/Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine
• Moderna mRNA (Spikevax) Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine
• Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA (Comirnaty) Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine
• in exceptional circumstances, the Novavax Matrix-M adjuvanted wild-type vaccine (Nuvaxovid) may be used when no alternative clinically suitable UK-approved COVID-19 vaccine is available

For people aged 12 to 17 years:

• Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA (Comirnaty) Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine

For people aged 5 to 11 years:

• Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA (Comirnaty) Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine paediatric formulation

‘Bivalent’ vaccines have been created by worldwide producers since the introduction and supremacy of the Omicron variety. These vaccines include two separate antigens (substances that provoke an immunological response) based on two different COVID-19 strains, or variations. The initial mRNA vaccines include one antigen (monovalent), based on the original ‘wild-type’ strain.

Studies reveal the Moderna bivalent vaccination elicits a somewhat stronger immune response against specific variations than the Moderna mRNA Original ‘wild-type’ vaccine. The clinical importance of these modest changes is questionable.

The committee will review new bivalent vaccinations for use in the project when they are authorised by the MHRA.

In its recent advise the JCVI has noted that, where practical, it would be desirable for a single kind of booster vaccine to be administered throughout the course of the fall programme for ease of deployment.

The JCVI’s Chair of COVID-19 Immunization, Professor Wei Shen Lim, stated:

All of the available booster vaccines offer very good protection against severe illness from COVID-19. As more vaccines continue to be developed and approved, the JCVI will consider the benefits of including them in the UK programme.

It is important that everyone who is eligible takes up a booster this autumn, whichever vaccine is on offer. This will increase your protection against being severely ill from COVID-19 as we move into winter.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said:

Although cases of COVID-19 are relatively low at present, we are expecting to see the virus circulating more widely during the winter months.

The booster is being offered to those at higher risk of severe illness and by taking up the booster vaccine this autumn, you will increase your protection ahead of the winter months, when respiratory viruses are typically at their peak.

In due time, NHS England will announce the specifics of how and when those who qualify may get the fall booster shot.