An expert has revealed exactly when is best to get your Covid booster jab to ensure you are best protected against the illness at Christmas. Doctor Scott Roberts, a Yale Medicine infectious diseases specialist, said that the vaccine is still the best preventative method for Covid, even as new strains emerge.
Currently, the Covid variant causing concern around the world is XEC.
A hybrid of two pre-existing Covid subvariants, it is thought to be highly contagious.
It was first discovered in Germany and has since been found in 27 countries across Europe, Asia, and North America.
The global case count exceeds 600, and it is now thought to account for one in 10 cases in the UK, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
In an article published by Yale Medicine, Dr Roberts said: “One reason for the concern is that XEC has moved quickly enough to outpace the growth of all other SARS-CoV-2 variants in a few areas in Europe.
“The rate of infections from XEC they’re seeing in some countries rose pretty quickly compared to previous variants in those same places.”
Cases of Covid rose in the UK throughout September. Data from the UKHSA showed in the seven days up to September 25, there were 2,797 recorded cases of Covid – an increase of 530 from the week prior.
And in the week up to September 20 there was a 50 percent increase in Covid deaths in England, with 134 recorded.
For the latest health news, advice and symptoms to watch out for sign up to the Daily Express’ free health newsletter
The most recent UKHSA figures show a 2.8 percent increase in Covid cases in the week up to October 2 with a total of 2,912 confirmed cases, while hospital admissions rose that week by six percent.
When to get vaccinated
Booster jabs are currently available on the NHS to those deemed most vulnerable to Covid. They will be offered until December 20.
But Dr Roberts urged eligible people to get their vaccine as soon as possible to give you the best chance of protection over the winter.
“Usually, the way these waves work is that we’ll have six to eight weeks of diminished activity, and then it will pick up again,” he said.
“I always recommend getting vaccinated by October at the latest, so you’ll have peak immunity during the holidays, when there’s a lot of travel and mingling with family, often indoors where the virus can spread more easily.”
He added that the jabs should still work against XEC, despite the fact it is a new variant.
Dr Roberts said: “Even though XEC is recombinant, it’s composed of two Omicron subvariants that were expected to be addressed by the updated vaccines.
“From that standpoint, although this new variant might diminish the immunity the vaccines provide by a little bit, I’m optimistic that we’re still going to have some degree of protection from both recent infections and updated vaccines.”
People eligible for the booster jab include:
- Over-65s
- People aged between six months and 64 years with health conditions that make them more vulnerable
- People living in care homes for older people
- Frontline health and social-care staff, including in care homes for older people.
The NHS will contact eligible patients directly, but they can also book their own appointments now via the NHS App, GPs, pharmacies, drop-in clinics, or by calling 119. Anyone also entitled to the flu jab, will be offered this at the same time.
Symptoms
Symptoms of XEC are thought to be similar to previous strains of Covid.
Dr Roberts added: “I’m not aware of any changes in the behaviour of the virus outside of the increased transmissibility.”
The NHS lists Covid symptoms as:
- A high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or three or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- An aching body
- A headache
- A sore throat
- A blocked or runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhoea
- Feeling sick or being sick.
Although it is no longer mandatory to self-isolate, the NHS recommends staying at home and avoiding contact with others for five days if you experience Covid symptoms.
