This summer has seen a large COVID wave – one which is showing potential to be bigger than the 2023 winter wave was. The current wave has largely been driven by the so-called FLiRT variants, which have acquired greater immune evasion and ability to enter our cells. The rise in COVID cases across the UK has also been accompanied by a spike in hospitalisations .
COVID is not seasonal, as this current wave is stark evidence of. This is why vulnerable people are given spring boosters . Nonetheless, most respiratory infections (COVID included) are at high levels during the colder months .
Having access to a COVID booster in the autumn is of great importance, as it protects those who are most vulnerable from severe COVID infections. The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have just published their recommendations for the autumn vaccine campaign . Unfortunately, the recommendations they’ve made mean even fewer people will have access to vaccines for free on the NHS this autumn.
And, the vaccines that will be made available may not be as effective against the current variants as newer formulations would be. This could leave more patients at risk of potentially serious infection. The JCVI use a number of considerations in costing their recommendations for vaccine campaigns (although they have not fully released details of their costing model).
What is clear is that the main concern is the cost of buying and delivering vaccines to prevent severe disease and deat.