Provides updated information about the COVID-19 vaccination programme up to 19 May 2022.
Contents
Introduction
Our COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy for Wales was published on 11 January 2021 and together with the below updates, sets out the detail of the Vaccination Programme in Wales.
What’s new since the last update?
Spring booster
On 21 February 2022, the JCVI published a statement, recommending an additional spring booster dose to be offered to people aged 75 and over, older care home residents and people over 12 years old who are immunosuppressed.
In line with advice in the Green Book, the delivery of the spring booster programme will cease for all on 30 June 2022. This will allow those receiving a spring booster to have a sufficient interval between doses, if they are deemed eligible by the JCVI for an autumn booster.
In order to leave enough time for people to attend vaccination appointments, those who turn 75 on or before the 30th June 2022 are eligible for vaccination at any time in the spring campaign. They must be at least 3 months past any earlier dose, and they cannot have already had a booster dose during the spring programme. This means some people will be 74 on the day of vaccination, but are eligible because they turn 75 before the cut-off date.
This approach is consistent with the approach used in other programmes, for example our seasonal flu programme, and in other UK nations (Scotland and England) for their spring COVID-19 vaccination programme.
When it is time for you to receive your spring booster dose, you will be contacted by your local health board. Please do not contact them unless you need to change your appointment.
Vaccination offer for children 5-11 years old
On 16 February 2022, the JCVI published a statement announcing the expansion of the COVID-19 vaccination programme to all 5-11 year olds.
In most cases, children will receive an appointment from their local health board and details will be available and updated regularly on your health board’s website and social media. Links to every health board’s vaccination web pages are available for you to check for local information.
There is no need to contact your GP to ask about vaccination appointments as delivery of the vaccine will be primarily administered through vaccination centres, and children will need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no age priority within the JCVI advice, which makes it easier for eligible siblings to be vaccinated at the same time.
Children, young people and their parents and carers are also urged to consider, if not done so already, other childhood immunisation programmes, so children are fully immunised to protect them from other potentially serious diseases, such as measles and meningitis.
Autumn booster
On 19 May 2022, the JCVI issued interim advice, which indicates they are likely to recommend an autumn vaccine for our most vulnerable individuals.
The JCVI will continue to review evidence and vaccination of other groups of people remains under consideration. We expect final advice on the autumn programme to come from the JCVI in due course. Our NHS in Wales has been planning for a potential autumn programme and will be ready to deliver to continue to protect our most vulnerable individuals.
Nobody left behind
Anyone who wants to take up the offer of a first, second or booster vaccine can still do so. If you couldn’t make your original appointment, you can do it now. Walk-in sessions are available across Wales for first, second and booster appointments. Get your COVID-19 vaccination
Vaccines offer a good level of protection and it’s worth having if you’ve had COVID already. This is because the level of protection people get from having the virus may vary depending on how mild or severe their illness was, the time since their infection, and their age. But we know protection from vaccination is good, especially from the booster, and that protection lasts longer than from infection alone. The vaccine may also protect against future strains.
Vaccination teams can answer any questions you may have about vaccination and support you to get vaccinated. Most vaccination centres have quiet areas for people to sit whilst waiting and many also have specialist nurses in attendance, to assist those who may need some extra support.
Who is currently getting vaccinated?
A guide to who is eligible for the vaccine including the interval between doses has been published by Public Health Wales.
Summary of our overall progress in Wales:
- In total more than 7.22 million doses of the vaccine have been administered
- More than 2.55 million people have had a first dose and more than 2.41 million people have received at least 2 doses
- More than 2.2 million people have received a booster
- More than 224,000 spring boosters have been administered
Further information
Public Health Wales has FAQs about the vaccine and safety. They also publish daily and weekly surveillance data releases.
Help on how to get your vaccination is available here: Get your COVID-19 vaccination
A range of information on our vaccination programme is available on our website, including guidance published relating to the priority groups.
Welsh Government statisticians are also publishing some of the more operational statistics attached to the programme each week.