Vaccination Update
As at 8th November, a total of 96,169,332 doses of a coronavirus vaccine had been administered in the UK, with 50,296,294 people receiving a first dose (87.5% of the population aged 12 and over) and 45,873038 people receiving both doses (79.8%).
As at 8th November, a booster jab had been administered to 10,580,122 people (18.4% of the population aged 12 and over). To help speed the take-up of the booster jab, the National Booking Service has been updated to allow those eligible for a booster vaccine – people over 50 and those most at risk of COVID-19 – to pre-book online their jab 5 months after their second dose.
People will still receive their vaccine 6 months after their second dose, but the change will speed up the vaccination programme by allowing people to receive a jab the day they become eligible, rather than waiting for a convenient appointment.
People will also be able to book by calling 119 and can get vaccinated at hundreds of walk-in sites across the country 6 months after their second dose without an appointment. Those eligible can use the NHS online walk-in finder to locate the most convenient site.
If you are eligible and wish to arrange for a booster jab, further details on how to do so can be found on the NHS website here.
International Travel Update
As from 8th November it is now possible once again to travel to the USA following the ending of the restrictions imposed by former President Donald Trump in March 2020. Under the new rules, foreign travellers will need to show proof of vaccination before flying, get a negative Covid-19 test result within three days of travelling, and provide their contact information – it will not be necessary to quarantine upon arrival.
For those travelling/returning to England from a foreign country, the latest government rules can be found here.
For people travelling from England, rules and conditions of entry to another country may well differ from those on entering England and it may be prudent to consult the latest Foreign Office guidance on foreign travel which can be found here.
At the time of writing, there are currently no countries on the “red list” for travel.
