Everyone over 50 is to be offered a third Covid vaccine and a flu jab at the same time as part of an autumn booster campaign using high street pharmacies.
Next week NHS executives will outline a one in each arm programme from September to shore up the countrys immunity wall against a winter surge in infections. Using pharmacies will reduce the pressure on GPs.
Plans are due to be finalised after the government receives advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), but with Britain likely to have a vaccine surplus by autumn ministers are keen to ensure that as many people as possible get a booster jab.
This is likely to mean all 16 million over-50s in England and could extend