The Mail on Saturday can confirm that British tourists who don’t take their booster jabs will face increased restrictions.
To protect the UK from new coronavirus variants, Ministers are currently preparing plans to reinstate quarantine and test those who refuse their third vaccination.
However, they could be controversial if the booster is not available to all eligible. So far, 60 percent have received it.
It would be a change in the way that “fully vaccinated” is defined. Instead of having received two shots, it will now include three.
The officials are split on when the measure should be implemented. They are currently discussing a grace period to allow individuals to travel with no quarantine after they have sought boosters six months following their first jab, but were not offered one.
The Mail on Saturday can confirm that British tourists who don’t take their booster jabs will be subject to new restrictions. Current plans by ministers to restore quarantine for people who refused the third vaccine and to test them are being considered to safeguard the UK against new variants of coronavirus. After the relaxation of quarantine requirements for Balearic Island travellers, British tourists arrive in Palma de Mallorca Airport (above)
These plans could be controversial if they are presented before the majority of eligible recipients have been given it. Only 60% have vaccinated themselves so far. It would alter the meaning of “fully vaccinated” from two jabs to three.
This news was announced by Health Secretary Sajid Javid, who said that almost 10,000,000 people had received the booster jab. He also encouraged people to encourage their relatives with aging parents to do so.
There is disagreement among officials about when to put the measure into effect. Officials discuss a grace period which would permit people to travel to other countries without quarantine for those who have requested a booster after six months but not been given an appointment. (Pictured, Majorca in Spain’s Balearic Islands.
The plans are based on the Israeli system and would require travellers to submit evidence that they have passed a Covid-19 negative test.
Last night a Government source said: ‘This is not going to happen immediately – but happen it will.’
According to Health Secretary Sajid Javid almost 10 million people received booster shots, and he encouraged everyone to call their older relatives.
The scheme currently offers a boost to those over 50, who are health professionals, and clinically vulnerable. However, it is likely to expand to people over 40 in the coming year.
Seventy percent of people over 80 have received their third injection. Three in five over-50s are in England.
As of now, people who are not fully vaccinated must self-isolate and be able to return to the UK for ten consecutive days. Only those who accept the booster will qualify as fully vaccinated.
Other developments
- There were only 30693 daily positive results, down nearly 11 percent from Saturday. Meanwhile, hospital admissions rose 3% to 1,055 during the same time period. Deaths fell 8% to 155
- Pfizer plans to apply to regulators for approval of its vaccine being used in children under five years old.
- Ministers are using social media platforms Snapchat and TikTok for a “Second Chance” campaign to persuade people not vaccinated to speak up. The video features young people who have rejected the jab because they were suffering from ‘long Covid’.
- Sir Richard Branson will today put aside rivalries and synchronize the takeoffs of Virgin-bound Virgin flights from New York to British Airways on Heathrow’s parallel runways. This is to commemorate the return of British to US passengers more than 600 days after the closure of US airports.
- Care home chiefs say they fear thousands of workers who have not been fully jabbed will migrate to the NHS when new rules banning the unvaccinated or partially vaccinated from working in the sector come into effect on Thursday, since around 60,000 care home staff – a tenth of the workforce – have not had a jab.
According to the MoS, tomorrow’s update to the NHS booking site will allow patients to book their booster jab up to five months following their last dose.
Pfizer’s attempt to get approval for its vaccine to be given to children younger than 12 years old, and perhaps as young as 5, is just the beginning of what could prove to be a complicated process. This may not happen based on the history of vaccinations of 12-year-olds to 15.
The Cabinet Ministers have a split on the issue of vaccinating children younger than five years old. One stated that he didn’t think they would need the vaccine. It is boosters for people over 50 that will make us go from endemic to pandemic.
Two Cabinet members said that they supported the extension of vaccines to younger children, but only if regulatory approval is obtained and parents consent.
One person said, “If it is fine according to medical advice, then that’s enough.” It’s okay if that aids us in winning the war. It is better to facilitate vaccination rollsout than prevent it.
The discussion about vaccinations for 12- and 15-year olds was fraught. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation ultimately handed over the decision to Chief Medicine Officers from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Government accepted their recommendation that the vaccines should be administered.
Pfizer was granted permission by US regulators to administer its vaccine to children between five and eleven years of age. Pfizer has also applied to the European Medicines Agency for authorization to apply on the continent. It needs to get the approval of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the UK.
Pfizer spokesmen said, “We will submit 5-to-11-year-old data packages for consideration at appropriate times.”
The plans are based on the Israeli system and would prevent travellers from avoiding a third jab by presenting evidence that they have passed a Covid-19 negative test. Last night a Government source said: ‘This is not going to happen immediately – but happen it will.’ (Also, May passenger at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 Check-in Desks.
The controversy over giving vaccines to children aged 12-15 years old earlier in the year was complex. In the end, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation handed the decision to the Chief Medical Officers of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Government accepted their recommendation that the vaccines should be administered. A family boards a Ryanair flight from Southend Airport on July 20, 2020.
Second Chance will use’street team, community champions and behavioral insights techniques to reach areas of high vaccination hesitancy. This campaign targets those who may be eligible but are not yet fully vaccinated.
Maggie Throup (Vaccines Minister) wrote to MPs saying that the campaign was intended for ‘hyper-local and hyper-specialist audiences.
Concerned about the low use of vaccines among pregnant women, officials were requested to ask for ‘objective’ evidence from GPs and nurses at all prenatal appointments.
NHS England will invite 3,000,000 more eligible individuals to have their booster shot this week, bringing the total number in England offering the injection to approximately 16 million.
Javid claimed that almost 10,000,000 people have been given their Covid-19 booster and the third jabs.
We know that immunity starts to decline after six months. Even more so for vulnerable people, such as the elderly, so booster vaccines are available to boost their protection.
‘For those not yet eligible, please help your parents, grandparents or vulnerable loved ones get their jabs – it could save their lives.’
Additional reporting: Stephen Adams