United Kingdom Starts 4th COVID Booster

The United Kingdom has rolled out the fourth coronavirus dose, termed spring booster. The booster is recommended for the elderly above 75.

The United Kingdom has rolled out the fourth coronavirus dose, termed spring booster. The booster is recommended for the elderly above 75 and those immunosuppressed aged 12 and over.

The vaccine programme is timely as official figures show Covid infection is rising in all age groups, including the over-70s.

Fluvoxamine: An OCD Drug can Prevent Covid-19 Patients from Hospitalization
Fluvoxamine has been proven among one such drug that could be used to treat COVID-19. Dozens of COVID patients showed no clinical deterioration in their symptoms when treated with a drug, fluvoxamine.

‘The Spring Covid booster programme is also in line with new advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which states that additional jabs will help boost protection for the most vulnerable.’

According to a BBC report, an estimated one in every 20 people being affected with Covid, showing that previous vaccine dose effect is waning.

"This spring booster is being offered as a precaution to those at extremely high risk, most of whom received their first booster around six months ago," the UK Health Security agency said in a statement.

"If the number of infections increases over the summer, this booster should help to reduce your risk of being admitted to hospital with Covid-19," it added.

COVID in Children | Guidelines for Management of COVID-19 in Children
Covid-19 virus has affected many children during the second wave. Many factors play a role in COVID in children and the management of COVID in children. Therefore, it is highly essential for parents to know and understand the symptoms in children.

So far, only people with severely poor immune systems had been eligible to have a fourth jab. But from Monday, the second booster will be administered to: adults aged 75 years and over, residents in a care home for older adults; and individuals aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed, or have weakened immune systems.

The dose will be given six months after the previous dose.

Test your Knowledge on Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Coronavirus is a large positive-strand RNA virus that is surrounded by a protein envelope. The virus obtains its name from the S protein spikes on its surface, which resemble a crown. The overall pattern of increasing coronavirus cases is shown to spike up with the “second wave” of COVID-19.

With spiking effects of the second wave of coronavirus, the best way to keep it at bay is to follow COVID-appropriate safety practices like wearing a mask, regularly cleaning your hands, and coughing into a bent elbow or tissue along with physical distancing (6 feet about 2 arm's length), that may help evade the severity of COVID-19 infection.

About five million people in the UK will be eligible to book the extra booster jab - with the first 600,000 people to be invited from this week.

Good News: Bark of Neem Tree can Protect Against Covid-19
Neem bark extract binds the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at various locations in the body, thereby, preventing the Covid-19 virus from entry into the host cells.

"Our phenomenal vaccination programme has saved countless lives and built a wall of defence which has allowed us to learn to live with Covid," said Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid, in a statement.

"Following the massive success of the rollout so far, we are now offering over-75s and the most vulnerable a spring booster dose to top up their protection against this virus.

"Please come forward as soon as you are contacted by the NHS," Javid said.

Eligible adults will be offered either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, with any eligible people aged between 12 and 18 getting offered the Pfizer vaccine.

More than 118 million vaccinations have been administered in the UK in total, including 32 million top-up jabs since the booster rollout began in September.

Source-IANS