Oxford Covid jab faces effectively being withdrawn from Britain's vaccine ...

Oxford Covid jab faces effectively being withdrawn from Britain's vaccine ...
Oxford Covid jab faces effectively being withdrawn from Britain's vaccine ...

The Oxford jab could be largely withdrawn from UK's vaccine programme as millions of Britons who were given two doses are likely to be offered a Pfizer booster shot.

The booster programme is expected to rely mainly on the Pfizer vaccine under a 'mix and match' strategy to top-up immunity.

Research has suggested combining the two different vaccines can provide better and longer lasting protection against Covid-19.

The Oxford jab could be largely withdrawn from UK’s vaccine programme as millions of Britons who were given two doses are likely to be offered a Pfizer booster shot

The Oxford jab could be largely withdrawn from UK's vaccine programme as millions of Britons who were given two doses are likely to be offered a Pfizer booster shot

But the UK's medical regulator has ruled that the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine cannot be used for third doses in this way.

This means the majority of third doses given out this autumn and winter are likely to be Pfizer.

This could see the Oxford jab, initially planned to be the workhorse of the UK's vaccination programme, effectively phased out.

The AZ jab is already not offered to under 40s in the UK due to a link with rare blood clots.

Final details of plans to re-vaccinate up to 35 million adults are due to be unveiled early next week after being signed off by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).

Ministers yesterday confirmed they were pressing ahead with the scheme despite criticism from Dame Sarah Gilbert, who created the Oxford jab.

Ministers confirmed they were pressing ahead with the scheme despite criticism from Dame Sarah Gilbert (pictured) who created the Oxford jab

Ministers confirmed they were pressing ahead with the scheme despite criticism from Dame Sarah Gilbert (pictured) who created the Oxford jab

Dame Sarah said a mass booster programme was unnecessary as immunity from two doses was 'lasting well', suggesting spare vaccines should instead be sent to developing countries.

But Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: 'Pretty much all nations are looking at doing a booster programme - Israel are already doing it - so we are not an outlier in doing this.'

Speaking to Sky News, he added: 'There is a range of opinion among scientists - this is why we have the JCVI to give us the authoritative advice and we'll follow that advice.' On Thursday the JCVI met to analyse results of a study by the University of Southampton looking at the impact of third doses on immunity.

The Cov-Boost trial found that a third

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