U.K. gov’t advisers recommend against 4th vaccine dose

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — U.K. government advisers have recommended against giving a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to nursing home residents and people over 80 because data shows that a third shot offers lasting protection against admission to the hospital. The U.K. Health Security Agency says that for people over 65, protection against hospitalization remains at about 90% three months after the third dose. As a result, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization late Friday advised the government that there was no need to offer a fourth dose, or second booster, to vulnerable people at this time. Instead, the government should focus on giving a third dose to as many people as possible to boost protection against the highly transmissible omicron variant.