Covid: Isle of Man over-40s to be offered booster jab

About 89% of those eligible have now received at least two vaccine doses

People aged 40 and over on the Isle of Man will be offered a Covid-19 booster jab, the health minister has confirmed.

It follows the latest advice from the Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunisation and brings the island into line with the UK.

Lawrie Hooper said the move would help more people "top-up their declining immunity ahead of winter".

Under the changes, 16 and 17-year-olds on the island will now be offered a second jab.

The booster jabs had previously been restricted to health care workers, the clinically vulnerable and those aged 50 and over.

About 13,000 of the 40,000 people in those categories have already been given the jab.

The changes mean a further 6,000 people will now be eligible to receive it.

Mr Hooper said the boosters were needed as a drop in immunity following the first two doses could lead to "an uptick in cases and hospitalisation", creating pressures on Noble's Hospital.

"Apart from protecting yourself, it is the single most useful thing you can do to help prevent a surge in demand on the health care services at its busiest time of year," he added.

Those eligible will receive the booster jab six months after their second dose, while 16 and 17-year-olds will be offered a second jab 12 weeks after their first.