Coronavirus booster vaccine | Mencap

Autumn booster

Why do I need a booster jab?

3 bottles labelled covid-19 vaccine 1, covid-19 vaccine 2 and covid-19 vaccine booster. The booster bottle is in front of the other bottles.

A booster jab is an extra dose of a vaccine .

A person standing with their arms outstretched and bent upwards at the elbows with their fists clenched

A vaccine is medicine that helps your body to fight an infection in the future.

Several calendar months

After a while, most vaccines do not work as well as when they are first injected into your body.

A lady sitting beside someone who is lying in a hospital bed. They are both wearing masks.

The government says that a booster jab will make it less likely that you will need to go to hospital if you get coronavirus.

A bottle labelled covid-19 vaccine booster.

The booster jab people can get at the moment is called the autumn booster.

Who can have the autumn booster?

A lady in a moulded wheelchair, an older man and a young boy.

You can have the autumn booster if you are:

75 years old or over
living in a care home for older people
5 years old or over and have a weak immune system

A person blowing their nose with a tissue.

Your immune system is how your body fights off infections, like a cold or the flu.

an older lady sitting in a wheelchair is looking up at a younger lady who has her hand on the back of the wheelchair. The younger lady is looking at the older lady. The 2 ladies look as if they are mother and daughter.

You can also have the autumn booster if:

you work in health or social care and see the people you support
you are a paid or unpaid carer aged 16 or over
someone in your family has a weak immune system

Who should not have the autumn booster?

A lady holding her stomach with 1 hand and holding her head with the other hand. She looks unhappy.

You should not have your autumn booster if you are unwell or if you have coronavirus.

A lady smiling and looking happy.

If you are unwell, wait until you feel better.

A man coughing into his hand. There are dots around him representing coronavirus germs.

If you have coronavirus, it is a good idea to wait for 4 weeks before you have your autumn booster.

A man holding a mobile phone to his ear. In a bubble behind him is a picture of a lady talking on the phone.

If you were very unwell after a coronavirus vaccination, you should talk to your GP to see if it is a good idea to have the autumn booster.

An older lady sitting in a wheelchair wearing slippers and smiling. A man is standing behind the wheelchair pushing it.

If you live in a care home, talk to a member of staff or the manager about how to get your booster.

A woman in a wheelchair asking for a longer appointment time and easy read information

Reasonable adjustments

If you are having a vaccination, we have made an easy read about the vaccine reasonable adjustments you could ask for.