Covid: Booster roll-out extended to all adults on Isle of Man

All adults on the Isle of Man are to be offered a Covid-19 vaccine booster jab.

It brings the island into line with the latest recommendations by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which have now been adopted in the UK.

Boosters will now be offered from three months after full vaccination, rather than the current six.

Children will also be eligible for a second jab as part of the expansion of the vaccine programme.

The moves come amid fears over the transmissibility of the new Omicron variant.

Under the changes, people who are immunosuppressed and are already eligible for a third jab will also now be offered a booster after three months.

Children aged 12 to 15 can have a second dose of the vaccine a minimum 12 weeks after the first dose, and 16 and 17-year-olds will become eligible for a second at least eight weeks after their first.

Health Minister Lawrie Hooper said extending the vaccination programme was a "substantial undertaking", which would take "additional resources", but would "ensure as many people as possible are protected".

He said: "Having a booster will increase your defences against coronavirus, remembering that the Delta variant remains by far the most dominant in our community.

"I urge everyone to take up the offer of a booster."

The changes, which will be rolled out by age group, will be implemented "once the necessary protocols and paperwork have been received from the UK", a government spokeswoman said.

The expansion of the programme takes the number of people eligible for a booster to 62,170, with more than 19,300 having already received it.

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