Thank you for emailing me about booster doses of coronavirus vaccines for asthma patients.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) concluded that only those with more severe forms of asthma are at clinically high risk from coronavirus. This group are defined as adults with asthma who require continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission and will have been eligible for vaccination as part of priority group six. An individual with a more severe case of asthma may have been included in the clinically extremely vulnerable group, in which case they will have been eligible as part of priority group four.
To assist GPs in identifying patients eligible for a vaccine in each priority cohort, NHS Digital aligned specifications for the identification of patients via their medical records with GP system suppliers. Asthma sufferers were identified through this system and invited to make an appointment when the vaccination programme reached their priority cohort.
While the programme of first and second doses continues, the Government has confirmed that a booster shot programme will happen in the autumn and steps are being taken to prepare for this. Of course, some logistical matters remain to be resolved, but it is anticipated that the booster programme will be rolled out in a similar way to the current programme albeit with some differences for example to account for the annual flu vaccination programme.
Thank you again for contacting me.
