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<p>The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) recognises that some
individuals who are severely immunosuppressed due to underlying health conditions
or medical treatment may not achieve the same full immune response to the initial
two dose COVID-19 vaccination course as those who are not immunosuppressed. The committee
has therefore advised on 1 September that as a precautionary measure those with severe
immunosuppression at or around the time of their first or second dose of COVID-19
vaccination should receive a third dose. The aim is to raise the level of immunity
in these individuals closer to the level of immunity as the non-immunosuppressed achieve
from two doses in Newcastle upon Tyne and other areas.</p><p>The Government has accepted
this advice, which will be applied at a national level. Severe immunosuppression at
the time of vaccination is defined using guidance and timings outlined at the following
link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/third-primary-covid-19-vaccine-dose-for-people-who-are-immunosuppressed-jcvi-advice/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-jcvi-advice-on-third-primary-dose-vaccination"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/third-primary-covid-19-vaccine-dose-for-people-who-are-immunosuppressed-jcvi-advice/joint-committee-on-vaccination-and-immunisation-jcvi-advice-on-third-primary-dose-vaccination</a></p><p>The
purpose of the separate potential booster programme is to maximise protection in those
who are most vulnerable to serious COVID-19 ahead of the winter months. The JCVI published
interim advice on a potential Covid-19 booster vaccination programme on 30 June 2021,
which is available at the following link:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jcvi-interim-advice-on-a-potential-coronavirus-covid-19-booster-vaccine-programme-for-winter-2021-to-2022/jcvi-interim-advice-potential-covid-19-booster-vaccine-programme-winter-2021-to-2022"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/jcvi-interim-advice-on-a-potential-coronavirus-covid-19-booster-vaccine-programme-for-winter-2021-to-2022/jcvi-interim-advice-potential-covid-19-booster-vaccine-programme-winter-2021-to-2022</a></p><p>Final
decisions on the timing and scope and cohort eligibility of any COVID-19 vaccine booster programme
will be confirmed once the JCVI has provided their final advice.</p><p>It is expected
that severely immunosuppressed individuals will become eligible for a booster dose
as part of any routine booster programme from around six months after their third
dose, pending further advice.</p>
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