SPRING booster jabs for the most vulnerable members of society have been announced.

Across the UK, people over the age of 75 and those who are immunosuppressed aged 12 and over were welcomed to come forward for the jab on March 21.

During the latest phase of the biggest and most successful vaccination drive in health history around 5.2 million people will be able to get a spring dose as part of the NHS’ campaign.

This will be the fourth Covid vaccine jab for people to take since the rollout.

Liberal Democrat MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale Tim Farron has advised people not to forget the severity of Covid.

He said: “The horrors in Ukraine have perhaps hidden the fact that covid infection rates have been rising, hospitalisations and deaths are still high.

“So, getting the booster is really important – I’ll certainly be getting mine when the time comes.”

Conservative MP for Barrow and Furness Simon Fell credits the vaccine program for the return of the country’s way of life and encourages people to continue with the program.

He said: “The reason that we’ve been able to open up society again so successfully is because of the vaccination programme.

“Those jabs in arms have given people protection from this virus and its variants, but it’s going to be essential that we keep our protections up – just as we do for the flu every year.”

Research by UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has estimated that 157,000 hospitalisations have been prevented by booster jabs.

Director of Public Health Colin Cox has encouraged those who are yet to take their first vaccine to do so.

He said: “I welcome the rollout of this fourth booster. We know that immunity to Covid does wane over time.

“Because of the way we run things we vaccinate the most at risk first, which is why they got their third booster first but immunity may still decline. It’s important that the boosters get out there.

“Covid is high in our communities, and the only reason their effects have not been more significant is because people got the vaccines.

“While there is no decision outside the current program to expand them to other age groups I still advice anyone invited to do so to come and get their jabs.

“There is this sense that omicron is mild, and if you’ve been vaccinated it is, but if you haven’t and you’re older it absolutely is not.

“In Hong Kong the variant is killing lots of older people who haven’t been vaccinated.

“This is rollout is so important.”