The number of people who took up the offer of a free spring Covid booster fell sharply this year, putting vulnerable people at increased risk and the NHS under further pressure, scientists have warned.
They predict that the reduced take-up will increase the number of people who get infected and make serious illness, hospitalisation and long Covid more likely when they do.
This is all the more concerning because cases are much higher this summer than they were last summer. Furthermore, they are expected to “spike” in the next week or two following the Euros, during which transmission is estimated to have been up to nine times higher than it would otherwise have been.
New figures show that the final take-up of the spring booster, which ended on June 30, among over 75s in England fell from 68 per cent in 2023 to 63 per cent this year.
And among under 75s with weakened immune systems, it dropped from 32 per cent to just 29 per cent. This is a particular concern to scientists as many in this group of people – which includes those with cancer or who have had an organ transplant – are especially vulnerable to Covid.
“The level of uptake of the spring booster is very worrying as it leaves the elderly and most vulnerable at risk of severe disease,” Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at Warwick University, told i.
“We are already seeing an increase in Covid-related hospitalisations in the elderly. There has been a massive failure of public health messaging which has added to the general complacency about Covid and a sense that the virus is no longer a problem. This is not the case,” he said.
He said that the increase in infections and serious infections will also provide more opportunities for the virus to evolve a nasty new variant.
“The virus is continuing to change and spread and, if we’re not careful, we could be in store for a large wave of infection over the autumn/winter months with new, more infectious virus variants. The government’s spring booster campaign is now over but I would recommend getting a private booster if you consider yourself vulnerable or you are in contact with anybody at risk of severe disease,” Professor Young said.
In Scotland the drop was even more pronounced – falling from 83 per cent to 73 per cent among over 75s, according to the analysis of official data by Bob Hawkins, a data analyst who works with the Independent Sage group of scientists.
Meanwhile, for “immunosuppressed” people of all ages, the figure in Scotland fell from 59 per cent to 46 per cent. The level of uptake among people with weakened immune systems is higher than for England at least in part because it includes over 75s as well as under 75s.
The figure for immunosuppressed uptake in England is only for under 75s, who are less likely to get the booster than older age groups).
In Wales the drop was bigger still, falling from 73 per cent to 63 per cent among the over 75s – a decline of 14 per cent.
The data needed to compare the change for immunosuppressed people in the country is not available.
The cumulative effect of forgoing successive spring booster offers – as many people have done – is also a concern as it means that immunity built up from previous infections and vaccinations becomes ever weaker, according to Simon Williams of Swansea University.
He said: “The drop in spring boosters is very concerning. In particular the low rates amongst those with weakened immune systems is really troubling.
“It may be that younger adults see Covid as something that only the over 75s need to worry about – but if you have a weakened immune system it is still important to top up your immunity.”
Professor Steven Griffin of Leeds University added: “It really is a concern that vaccine uptake has fallen, especially considering that the only people eligible for a free vaccine are considered to be those most at risk from infection. They are most likely to gradually lose protection from severe Covid,” – from immunity they have built up through previous infections and vaccinations.
The NHS says more than four million people in England took up the offer of a Covid spring booster vaccine this year, including two-thirds of care home residents in England.
Dr Alexander Allen, Consultant Epidemiologist at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said: “Vaccination remains our best line of defence against Covid-19.
“We know socialising is part of the fun of summer but taking some time out to recover when you’re unwell also stops the spread of these viruses. This helps to protect others, especially those who are more vulnerable.”