Guidance: A guide to the COVID-19 spring booster 2023
Updated 9 March 2023

People aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, and those aged 5 years and over with a weakened immune system will be offered a booster of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine this spring.

Spring booster eligibility
COVID-19 is more serious in older people and in people with certain underlying health conditions. For these reasons, people aged 75 years and over, those in care homes, and those aged 5 years and over with a weakened immune system are being offered a spring booster of COVID-19 vaccine.

Timing of the spring booster

You should be offered an appointment between April and June, with those at highest risk being called in first. You will be invited to have your booster around 6 months from your last dose but you can have it from 3 months.

If you are turning 75 years of age between April and June, you will be called for vaccination during the campaign; you do not have to wait for your birthday.

Vaccines in use this spring

You will be given a booster dose of a vaccine made by Pfizer, Moderna or Sanofi and approved in the UK. These vaccines have been updated since the original vaccines and target different COVID-19 variants. For a very small number of people another vaccine product may be advised by your doctor.

These updated vaccines boost protection well, and give slightly higher levels of antibody against the more recent strains of COVID-19 (Omicron) than the vaccines you would have received previously.

As we cannot predict which variants of COVID-19 will be circulating this spring and summer, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has concluded that all of these vaccines can be used and that no one should delay vaccination to receive a different vaccine.

The Sanofi vaccine contains an adjuvant (a chemical used to improve the immune response to the virus). This vaccine will only be offered to older people, who may respond less well to vaccines. The adjuvant in the COVID-19 vaccine is similar to the one used in the flu vaccine which is routinely given to over 65 year olds. The NHS website has more information about vaccine ingredients.

Please accept the vaccination that is offered to you as soon as you are able to – you will be offered the right vaccine for you at the right time.

You will be invited for your booster, your GP may offer you the vaccine or you can book using the NHS app for Apple or Android. You can also find your nearest walk-in vaccination site from the NHS website.

For more details, please go to NHS website