Sajid Javid Says People Will Eventually Need Third Covid Jab To Be Classed As Fully Vaccinated
Sajid Javid confirmed Covid certification will require proof of a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine once all adults have been offered a booster jab (Alamy)
3 min read
The government will change the definition of being fully vaccinated to mean those who have had three jabs against Covid-19, according to Sajid Javid.
The health secretary told the Commons the rules will be changed "once all adults have had a reasonable chance to get their booster”.
This means for events which require proof of Covid certification for entry, such as nightclubs, theatres and concerts if “Plan B” measures are voted through tomorrow, people will need to have a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine to comply.
It comes as the Prime Minister continued urging everyone to get their booster as soon as possible as the UK faces a “tidal wave” of infection arising from the Omicron variant.
The NHS is aiming to deliver a million doses every day after Boris Johnson gave a televised address claiming all adults will be able to have a booster before the end of this year.
In an update to MPs this afternoon, Javid said that two jabs are not enough to protect someone from symptomatic infection from Omicron, but a booster dose provides "strong protection”.
He said the requirement for two doses of a vaccine for large events will be modified to need three doses "once all adults have had a reasonable chance to get their booster job”.
People will still be able to complete Covid certification - referred to as “vaccine passports” - with proof of a recent negative lateral flow test, the Cabinet minister added.
Earlier today the PM's official spokesperson denied they were looking to change the requirements for the certification system.
"We'll need to keep that under review in terms of what constitutes fully vaccinated but there's no plans to change it currently," he told reporters at a briefing.
The most recent update from the government showed as of 9am today there had been a further 54,661 lab-confirmed Covid-19 cases in the UK, while 38 people had died within 28 days of testing positive.
Javid confirmed there are now 4,713 confirmed cases of Omicron, but said the UK Health Security Agency estimates the true current number of daily infections is around 200,000.
"While Omicron represents over 20% of cases in England, we've already seen it rise to over 44% in London and we expect it to become the dominant Covid 19 variant in the capital in the next 48 hours,” he added.
This morning it was revealed 10 people are in hospital with Omicron, while the first person to have died having tested positive for the new mutation has been registered.
"It's vital we remember that hospitalisations and deaths lag infections by around two weeks so we can expect those numbers to dramatically increase in the days and weeks that lie ahead”, Javid said.
"In preparation, the UK's four chief medical officers raised the Covid alert level to four, its second highest level, this was done over the weekend.
"And NHS England has just announced that it will return to its highest level of emergency preparedness, level four national incident.”
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