Frontline Care Worker COVID boosters can now be booked through the NHS National Booking Service

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Frontline health and social care workers can now book their COVID-19 vaccination booster dose through the NHS National Booking Service.

One dose of the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine will be the preferred dose used for the booster programme as advised by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) regardless of which vaccine brand someone received for their primary doses. This follows data from the COV-BOOST trial that indicates the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is well tolerated as a third dose and provides a strong booster response.

Alternatively, a half dose of the Moderna vaccine may be offered. Where mRNA vaccines cannot be offered, for example due to allergies, the AstraZeneca vaccine may be considered for those who received it previously.

Requirements for booking your COVID-19 booster dose

Care workers can receive their booster dose if it's been at least 6 months (180 days) since their 2nd dose of the vaccine and this can be booked by either online through the national booking system or by attending a walk in COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

As part of the booking process, social care workers will need to self-declare they are a frontline health or social care worker. When booking, frontline health and social care workers will be advised of the evidence they will need to provide at the vaccination site as proof of employment, otherwise, they may be turned away. 

Proof of employment will be accepted, using one of the following: 

  • A workplace photo ID, 
  • A recent letter from their employer (last 3 months), or 
  • A recent payslip which shows their employer (last 3 months)