Health

No 10 concerned as 4.5 million eligible people fail to get Covid jab boosters

No 10 is increasingly worried that hospitalisations and deaths among double-vaccinated people could rise due to waning immunity as an estimated 4.5 million people have failed to get their booster shots despite being eligible.

Downing Street sources told the Guardian that the gap between those eligible and those jabbed was too wide, ranking it as their major concern ahead of the winter months.

They acknowledged more needed to be done to encourage take-up as waning immunity meant more double jabbed people could get sick and were at greater risk of dying without the extra protection of the boosters.

The UK reported 293 deaths with Covid on Tuesday – the highest level since February – although the figure included all NHS England deaths from Monday owing to reporting delays. There were 33,865 daily reported cases, a drop from more than 40,000 in recent days, and 9,538 people were in hospital with Covid on Monday compared with 6,467 a month ago.

A record 1.6m boosters were delivered last week, with 7m in England since the programme started and hundreds of thousands of people booked in to receive jabs, according to NHS England. However, there are 11.5 million people eligible for their boosters, leaving a gap of 4.5 million.

John Roberts, from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, told the BBC on Tuesday expressed worries that not all those in priority groups will have had their third jabs before Christmas.

Multiple studies suggest waning immunity from vaccines. Data from Israel, where 78% of people aged 12 and older are fully vaccinated, showed a large rise in infection rates over the summer. The UK-based Zoe Covid Study app, where users can log their jabs, test results and symptoms, has suggested protection against infection after two shots of Pfizer/BioNTech decreased from 88% at one month to 74% at five to six months, while protection against infection after two Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs fell from 77% to 67% at four to five months.

Prof Tim Spector, the lead scientist on the study, said in August: “In my opinion, a reasonable worst-case scenario could see protection below 50% for the elderly and healthcare workers by winter.” A Danish study suggested the under-65s had about 80% protection for at least six months, while the over-65s had only 47% protection.

The government is pinning its hopes of avoiding further restrictions over the winter on people taking up booster jabs, which are currently offered to over-50s and those with clinical vulnerabilities who had their second jab at least six months ago. Hundreds of walk-in clinics have opened up as part of an NHS campaign.

Boris Johnson spoke about the need for people to realise the risks of not having their boosters over the weekend, saying it would be “tragic” if vulnerable people got seriously ill because they were “overconfident about their level of immunity and didn’t get their booster when they needed it”. “I think people don’t quite realise that the first two jabs do start to wane,” he said.

Roberts, from the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, said that he was concerned that the first priority groups will not all have received their Covid booster jabs by Christmas, warning that this could start to filter through into hospitalisation and death numbers in the next few days. “My worry is that, at the current rate, we’re still not going to complete the first priority groups one to nine until mid-January,” he told BBC Radio 4.

“And that’s going to mean that there’s going to be a lot of mixing over Christmas with festive behaviour before and then on the day of people who haven’t got that extra protection from the booster, which really does make a huge difference. The analysis that we’re getting from Israel is that it will probably reduce deaths by 80 or 90% even. So it’s important that we get on with it as quickly as possible.”

An NHS spokesperson said: “It is vital people come forward as quickly as possible – there are appointments available across the country and people can book in through the national booking service or use one of the hundreds of walk-in vaccination sites.”

Health

Lassa Fever: Death toll rises to 15 in Edo

The Edo Government has confirmed 15 deaths from Lassa fever since the outbreak of the disease in the state in December 2024.

The Director of Public Health, Edo State Ministry of Health, Dr Stephenson Ojeifo, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin while responding to concerns on social media regarding the government’s efforts in tackling the outbreak.

“As of today, Edo State has recorded over 1,000 suspected cases of Lassa fever. Out of these, 103 have tested positive

“From the 103 confirmed cases, we have recorded 15 deaths, while others have been treated and discharged,” he said.

Ojeifo asserted that Gov. Monday Okpebholo had strengthened surveillance and contact tracing efforts, ensuring that all necessary resources were available to contain the outbreak.

He, however, attributed the high mortality rate to late referrals, noting that many patients arrive at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH) in critical condition.

“The problem is that patients are only referred to ISTH when their condition has deteriorated.

“We have been sensitising residents to seek medical attention if they experience persistent fever that does not resolve, so that samples can be tested and treatment can commence early if needed,” he said.

The director urged healthcare providers to avoid delays in referring suspected cases to designated treatment centres.

He warned that any hospital found treating Lassa fever patients without proper authorisation would face sanctions.

In addition to the Lassa fever outbreak, Ojeifo disclosed that the state had recorded 11 suspected cases of Mpox, with five confirmed positives.

He, however, said that no deaths were recorded, as all affected individuals received timely medical attention.

Health

Kebbi Govt confirms outbreak of meningitis with 26 deaths

The Kebbi State Government has confirmed an outbreak of meningitis in three Local Government Areas (LGAs), with 26 deaths recorded so far.

The State Commissioner for Health, Yanusa Ismail, disclosed this during a press conference in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.

He revealed that a total of 248 suspected cases have been recorded, with 11 samples taken for examination, out of which three have been confirmed negative.

According to the commissioner, the affected LGAs are Gwandu, Aleiro, and Jega. He provided a breakdown of the fatalities as follows: 18 in Gwandu, six in Jega, four in Aleiro, and one in Argungu.

In response to the outbreak, the Kebbi State Government has approved ₦30 million for the procurement of drugs to contain the spread of the disease.

The commissioner urged the public to maintain personal hygiene and avoid crowded places to reduce the risk of infection.

He also confirmed that isolation centres have been set up to manage cases.

He added that samples have been sent to Abuja for further testing, and if confirmed, the state government will request vaccines to prevent further spread.

Health

Diphtheria outbreak hits Kings College Lagos

A 12-year-old student at the King’s College in Victoria Island, has died with fourteen others hospitalisized following the outbreak of diphtheria.

According to the Lagos State government, 34 close contacts of the deceased have been identified and placed under observation.

Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed that the index case, a 12-year-old boy, developed a sore throat and fever on February 22 and was referred to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), where he received treatment but succumbed to myocarditis, a severe diphtheria complication, on March 6.

He added that 14 other students showed signs of the infection and were transferred to LUTH for screening. Twelve tested positive for early signs of diphtheria and are receiving antibiotics and diphtheria antitoxin serum. All are reported to be recovering.

The state government due to the incident activated an Emergency Response Committee and will begin a mass vaccination campaign targeting schoolchildren and healthcare providers. Nearly 500,000 doses of diphtheria vaccine will be deployed to high-risk areas, and infection prevention measures will be strengthened at King’s College.

Public awareness campaigns are also underway, urging residents to recognize symptoms such as sore throat, fever, difficulty breathing, and swollen neck glands. The Lagos State government is working closely with federal health agencies and the WHO to contain the outbreak.

Prof. Abayomi reassured residents that the situation is under control and emphasized the importance of good hygiene, avoiding crowded places, and seeking immediate medical attention if symptoms appear.