The government is expanding the Covid-19 booster vaccine programme in the island.

Booster jabs will be offered to all adults from the age of 18, with the rollout continuing in age order, giving priority to older adults and those in at-risk groups.

They will shortly be offered from three months after an individual’s second dose.

These changes will be put in place once the ‘necessary protocols and paperwork have been received from the UK’, according to the government.

Also, the island is to increase protection for children and young people aged 12 to 15 with the offer of a second dose at a minimum of 12 weeks following the first dose.

Those aged 16 to 17 are also to be offered a second dose at an interval of at least eight weeks.

People in the immune-suppressed group who have had their third dose of vaccine will get a booster after three months.

Currently, plans are being prepared and the public are asked not to call 111 asking for their booking to be changed while the schedule is reworked.

More information on this, and the offer of second doses to 12- to 17-year-olds, ‘will be announced soon’.

This comes after a change in advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation following the emergence of the Omicron variant.