AN estimated 142,000 people in Greater Manchester caught coronavirus over Christmas and the New Year, many of whom did not get a chance to have their booster vaccination in time.

Now NHS vaccine leads and doctors are reminding people who have recently had Covid-19 that they still need to get their booster dose as it provides stronger and longer-lasting immunity than you get from infection alone – and it’s not too late to get it.

According to Greater Manchester interim director of nursing, Anita Rolfe, getting your booster vaccine "supercharges" your protection against the virus for longer, regardless of previous infection.

The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows shortly after getting a booster, you are 85 per cent less likely to end up in hospital than if you are unvaccinated.

And with 51,000 people in Greater Manchester now due their booster (at least 91 days since their second vaccine dose + at least 28 days since recovery from Covid-19), and plenty of slots available at vaccine centres, now is the time to get that protection locked in.

Anita Rolfe said: “Quite simply, and regardless of previous infection, getting your Covid-19 vaccination remains the best thing you can do to protect yourself and people around you. People assume that being recovered from Covid-19 means they’ll have plenty of antibodies, and therefore immunity at least for a few months.

“This may not be the case. If you have a mild infection with Covid-19, you’re probably going to get a mild immune response.

"Many people will have had Covid-19 but that’s not guaranteed to protect them, and certainly not as time goes on.

“The vaccines have been designed to provoke a really strong immune response and without all the damaging effect of having the infection.

"The benefits of vaccination are near immediate and then build up over a few weeks.

“A vaccination is a supercharged protection against Covid-19.

"We give the vaccine as one dose, a second dose and a booster dose so you’re getting three really strong pushes to the immune system.

"You don’t get that from mild infection with Covid-19, it’s the vaccine that gives you that strong protection.”

As Omicron arrived in the UK late last year, the booster was already being delivered to older and more vulnerable people. During December, the booster rollout was expanded quickly in response to the variant, with around 76 per cent of over eligible 18s in Greater Manchester having received it to date.

Anita Rolfe added: “Despite hundreds of thousands of Covid-19 cases the vaccine has been credited with preventing serious illness in the vast majority of people.

"That’s why we’re hearing so much about people on intensive care being unvaccinated.

“People often ask why they still got Omicron after having the vaccine and the booster.

"While the vaccine doesn’t always stop infection altogether, it does prevent that transition from no symptoms or very mild symptoms to having serious illness and hospital admission.

"The vaccine stops those serious consequences.”

People can find a walk-in site close to them at www.nhs.uk/grab-a-jab, book appointments on the National Booking System here or call 119.