53,000 covid booster vaccinations across York
December 7, 2021
Julian has welcomed the latest figures showing 53,811 York residents have already had a covid booster injection or third vaccine dose.
Additional vaccine injections on top of the first two are vital to protect life and health, and keep everyday life functioning as normal, particularly given the uncertain threat posed by the latest omicron virus variant. Further injections are being offered in descending order, with those most at risk due to health or age prioritised.
Boosters, intended for the general population, extend the duration of the protection offered by the initial vaccinations. Third doses are being offered to those with weakened immune systems due to medical conditions, and increase the level of protection for those whose bodies may have struggled to generate a sufficient immune response from the first injections.
The government has responded swiftly to the omicron threat by extending eligibility for boosters to all over-18s, down from those aged 39 and above, and committing to offer a booster to all adults by the end of January. The minimum gap between second and third injections has been halved from 6 to 3 months, all severely immunosuppressed people from 16 onwards are being offered a further booster on top of their third dose, and second vaccine doses will now be offered to children aged 12-15.
On hearing the news, Julian said: “Extending York’s vaccine shield is the only way to ensure we can both protect lives and live normally with the virus, rather than living in fear and under restrictions, so I am very glad that the booster programme is proceeding so well in our city.
Strengthening vaccine protections is vital to ensuring we can all have a normal and safe family Christmas, and I warmly welcome the fact over 32,000 of York’s additional injections have been administered in my York Outer constituency alone.
We all owe a profound debt of gratitude to the wonderful vaccination centre workers and NHS staff who are making this happen, including the fantastic Askham Bar site.
Nationally, it is reassuring that we have already given boosters to 18.6 million people, more than any other country in the world apart from America and China.
I hope these figures give York residents reassurance the city is making rapid progress in cementing its vaccine defences to protect the loved ones and normal everyday life we value so dearly.”
