People who have been waiting to get their booster jabs will be able to make an appointment from next week onwards.
Currently, those who are eligible for their third doses include anyone over the age of 50, those in care homes, health and social care workers and clinically vulnerable people.
These groups have not changed, but the requirement for Brits to have had six months in between the second and third shots mean new people become eligible every day.
About 9.5 million booster jabs have already been administered in England, of which more than six million were done in the first six weeks of the rollout.
Out of all over-50s who are eligible for their third shot, more than half of them have taken up the offer.
Similarly, about two-thirds of eligible over-80s have come forward for extra protection.
Deputy lead of the NHS vaccination programme Dr Nikki Kanani said: ‘It is encouraging to see that thanks to the efforts of NHS staff, millions of people have received their booster already and just over six weeks in, with over half of eligible over 50s already protected as we head into winter like no other.
‘I’ve recently had my booster at a local pharmacy and with more people becoming eligible every day I would encourage anyone who receives their text or letter invite to book an appointment and get their potentially life-saving top-up jab as soon as they can.
‘The vaccine is simple, quick and effective and will help us to give the country maximum protection from the virus.’
The Government is backing an intense push to get third jabs in arms as coronavirus cases, hospitalisations and deaths rise with the arrival of winter.
The original vaccination programme is largely credited for the UK living with next to no restrictions.
But this freedom, along with colder temperatures and the waning immunity of vulnerable people, is sending figures up again.
Ministers were previously warned about the knock-on effects this would have on the NHS and the care it can offer cancer patients.
Many, including Sage scientist Professor Neil Ferguson, have said the booster scheme should be accelerated to combat waning immunity.
He previously told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme: ‘People need to be aware that we have currently higher levels of infection in the community than we’ve almost ever had during the pandemic.
‘Nobody likes having their freedoms curtailed by measures but it’s prudent to be cautious in everyday interactions – certainly wearing masks helps that, it reminds people that we’re not completely out of the woods yet.’
In total, 79.4% of people in the UK, above the age of 12, has been fully vaccinated to two shots.
But the status of ‘fully vaccinated’ might be changed to require people to have all three jabs.
Care minister Gillian Keegan told BBC Breakfast last week: ‘The advice at the moment is the double jabbed vaccination. But of course that will evolve over time as the third dose comes in.
‘It would be unreasonable to say right now when we’ve only just started the programme, we’re trying to get this balance. It’s two doses for now.
‘But as the vaccine passport concept will evolve there will be “if you’ve had your booster” because it’s probably not going to be good for next summer.’
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Over 1,600,000,000 people can book their booster jabs from next week - Metro.co.uk
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