Almost 10,000 people in Midlothian get Covid booster jab in three weeks

It comes after scientists told the Government boosters are highly effective against hospitalisation for older adults, with second booster jabs for the most vulnerable ruled out for now.

Data from the UK coronavirus dashboard shows 9,484 people received a booster or a third vaccine dose between December 20 and January 9, bringing the total number of people in Midlothian to get a third shot to 54,053.

It means 68 per cent of people aged 12 and over in the area have now had a booster, based on mid-2020 population estimates from the Office for National Statistics.

Across the UK, 35.7 million people have now had a booster or third jab – 62 per cent of over-12s.

Meanwhile, data from the UK Health Security Agency shows boosters are 90 per cent effective against admission to hospital from the Omicron variant for the over-65s.

Protection for those with two doses dropped to about 70 per cent after three months and to 50 per cent after six months.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s chairman of Covid-19 immunisation, said the data emphasised the “value of a booster jab”.

He said: “The current data show the booster dose is continuing to provide high levels of protection against severe disease, even for the most vulnerable older age groups.

“For this reason, the committee has concluded there is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, though this will continue to be reviewed.”