It is hoped the new norovirus jab could help lift the burden on the NHS over the busy winter months – here we explain who is eligible for the trial, and when will everyone be able to get it
The Government is rolling out a ground-breaking norovirus vaccine trial – and it’s hoped it could help ease the strain on the NHS during the winter months.
Health experts say they believe the jab has the potential to stop people developing the highly contagious winter vomiting and diarrhoea bug, which leads to approximately 12,000 hospital admissions across the UK each year.
The first-of-its-kind jab, which is being produced by Moderna, uses mRNA technology to instruct the immune system to identify and combat a “foreign” protein found on viruses, targeting three key strains of norovirus. Here’s everything we know so far about the UK norovirus jab trial:
Who is eligible for the jab and when can I get it?
The jab will be limited to a small group of research participants during the first phase of trials. Over two dozen NHS hospitals and centres across England, Scotland, and Wales are participating in the trial, with some setting up mobile clinics to reach care homes and other community locations.
The aim is to recruit 2,500 UK participants by the end of December, with half receiving the vaccine and the other half a placebo. Researchers say they want adults from all walks of life to take part in the trial, with a particular focus on people aged 60 and above, as they are more vulnerable to norovirus.
All trial participants will be monitored for approximately 25 months. Moderna will also investigate whether the vaccine is suitable for seasonal use, similar to the flu jab, or if it could provide long-term immunity. The company plans to submit applications in 2026 to secure regulatory approval for the vaccine, which if given would eventually make the vaccine available to the public.
Would this be the first norovirus jab in the world?
Dr Patrick Moore, the lead researcher of the study and director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) in the South West, has said there are currently “no approved vaccines for norovirus anywhere in the world”. The only available treatment for those with severe symptoms in hospitals is intravenous fluids.
The doctor said: “Norovirus is what we know as the winter vomiting bug, and it’s highly transmissible. It causes vomiting and diarrhoea, usually for two to three days. It can affect people of all ages, and it usually peaks in the winter months in the UK…but we do see norovirus throughout the whole of the year. About one in five cases of gastroenteritis are caused by norovirus that’s about four million cases annually in the UK and about 685 million globally”
What has the Government said about this new jab?
Health secretary Wes Streeting said if successful, the jab could help reduce the huge pressure placed on NHS hospitals every winter. He commented: “Norovirus is highly infectious and puts the NHS under huge strain every winter, costing taxpayers around £100 million a year. The UK is leading the way to develop a world-first vaccine for this vomiting bug, starting with this innovative vaccine trial delivered through the Government-funded National Institute for Health and Care Research.
“Not only is this a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s life sciences sector, but a successful vaccine will help shift our health system away from sickness and towards prevention reducing pressure on the NHS and keeping people well during the colder months.”
