EVERYONE over 18 in the UK will be offered a booster Covid vaccination before the end of the year, the Prime Minister has announced.

In an emergency national briefing at 8pm on Sunday, December 12, Boris Johnson announced the “acceleration” of the booster roll-out, meaning anyone over 18 will be able to book from tomorrow (December 13) or attend a walk-in centre.

This new timeline shortens the target from 7 weeks, to just three, with the BBC reporting that this means the scheme must vaccinate approximately 18 million people in 19 days.

“We’re now facing an emergency,” said Boris Johnson. 

“Get boosted now for yourself, for your friends and family.”

The mission to administer millions of jabs by December 31 will see 42 military planning teams deployed across every health region, extra vaccine sites and mobile units, extended clinic opening hours to allow people to be jabbed around the clock and at weekends, and the training of thousands more volunteer vaccinators.

The announcement comes as the UK Covid alert level was raised to Level 4, up from Level 3, following a rapid increase in the number of Omicron cases being recorded.

The recommendation was made to ministers by the country’s four chief medical officers and NHS England’s national medical director following advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

The UK, as of Sunday, recorded a further 1,239 confirmed cases of the Omicron mutation, bringing the total number of cases to 3,137 – a 65% increase from Saturday’s total of 1,898.

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