The roll-out for the autumn booster invitation has started this week. This programme is to help boost the immunity of those at higher risk from COVID-19, improving their protection against severe illness and to protect the NHS over winter 2022 to 23.
This is alongside the winter respiratory vaccination strategy, which will ensure that people who are eligible are also protected from seasonal flu and the Welsh Government urges people to take up the flu vaccine when offered.
A single dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be offered to:
- residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- frontline health and social care workers
- all adults aged 50 years and over
- people aged five to 49 years in a clinical risk group*
- people aged five to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- people aged 16 to 49 who are carers
- In line with advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI):
- eligible adults aged 18+ will initially be offered the Moderna vaccine which protects from both the original COVID virus and the Omicron variant.
- Those eligible aged under 18 will be offered the Pfizer vaccine. Both vaccines will be offered at least three months after a previous dose.
Full announcement in English here: https://gov.wales/autumn-booster-invitations-issued-eligible-adults-wales
Full announcement in Welsh here: https://llyw.cymru/gwahodd-oedolion-cymwys-yng-nghymru-i-gael-pigiad-atgyfnerthur-hydref
*A reminder that “people aged five to 49 years in a clinical risk group” in the JCVI’s COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a, page 19 Priority Group 3 defines Clinical Risk Group includes:
Chronic neurological disease
Stroke, transient ischaemic attack (TIA). Conditions in which respiratory function may be compromised due to neurological or neuromuscular disease (e.g. polio syndrome sufferers). This group also includes individuals with cerebral palsy, severe or profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) including all those on the learning disability register, Down’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease and related or similar conditions; or hereditary and degenerative disease of the nervous system or muscles; or severe neurological disability
For the Green Book please click here – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-the-green-book-chapter-14a
Eligible adults will mostly be invited via letter to attend a vaccination centre, GP or pharmacy for their autumn booster vaccination.
