Wednesday 6 July 2022 04:00 PM Over-50s could be offered FOURTH Covid booster jab as ministers plan latest ... trends now

Over-50s are set to be offered a Covid booster jab as early as autumn as ministers plan the latest fightback against a surge in the number of infections.

Around six million people are understood to be in line for a fourth shot as the latest sub-variants of the Omicron strain continue to rapidly spread.

Outbreaks across Europe are being fuelled by Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, which are thought to be even more infectious than the BA.2 strain that caused infections in the UK to spiral to a record 4.1million in April. 

Hospitalisations have trebled over the past month, with roughly 1,500 virus-infected patients now being taken to wards every day. 

Former minister Sajid Javid had addressed cabinet colleagues about the recent spike in infections, but The Times reported no new restrictions are understood to be on the cards as of yet.

Mr Javid, who resigned as Health Secretary just hours after issuing his warning, had updated the cabinet about the Covid situation for the first time in months after infections soared in recent weeks. 

Rather than ramp up any return of restrictions, health bosses are said to be prepared to encourage increased vaccination rates over autumn in time for any winter rush.

Roughly 2.3million Britons had Covid in the week ending June 24 — up by a third on the previous seven-day spell. Even though rates are climbing quickly, they remain a fraction of levels seen in past peaks.

Infections in all four nations of the UK are rising, with levels in England back to where they were in late April. Up to one in 18 people are infected in the worst hit parts of the

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