Winter respiratory vaccination strategy update: 29 November 2022

Our Winter respiratory vaccination strategy sets out our plans for an integrated vaccination programme. It details how we will offer both the flu and COVID-19 booster vaccines to eligible individuals this year.

Our 3 main priorities for our winter respiratory vaccination programme are:

• protecting those at greatest risk
• protecting children and young people
• ensuring that nobody is left behind by continuing to offer the initial course of the COVID-19 vaccine

The Winter Respiratory Vaccination Programme (WRVP) commenced on 1 September 2022. It brings together the COVID-19 and flu vaccination programmes.

The new National Immunisation Framework for Wales was published on 25 October 2022. It sets out how we will transform vaccination programmes to improve service provision for everyone in Wales. This Framework has been developed on a co-production basis.  Welsh Government and the NHS worked as one team to identify and use lessons from the pandemic to improve all vaccination programmes.

Protecting those at greatest risk

Vaccination for the COVID eligible groups started on 1 September. The programme began vaccinating:

• residents and staff working in care homes for older adults
• individuals who are housebound
• frontline health and social care workers

We are nearing completion of inviting other eligible groups for COVID-19 vaccination. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has identified these as:

• all adults aged 50 years and over
• persons aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, as set out in the Green Book (gov.uk)
• persons aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression, as defined in the Green Book (gov.uk)
• persons aged 16-49 who are carers

All those eligible for a flu vaccine, which includes everyone over 50, is encouraged to find out more about how they can access their vaccine in their area of Wales.

Protecting children and young people

The following are eligible for the flu vaccination this year:

• children aged 2 and 3 years
• children in primary school from reception class to Year 6 
• children and young people in secondary school Year 7 to Year 11
• people aged 6 months to 49 years in a clinical risk group as set out in the Welsh Health Circular on flu

Parents or guardians will be asked to give consent. We encourage parents, guardians, children and young people to discuss together whether or not to have the vaccination. Factual information is available on the Public Health Wales website to help make this decision.

Most children and young people will get their COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination centre. Some areas will also be offering the vaccine through special schools. Vaccine roll-out will be informed by local knowledge and may change depending on circumstances.

Health boards will mainly use school nursing services to deliver the children’s nasal flu spray vaccine. Follow up sessions and the use of GPs will also be part of the vaccination deployment model.

Nobody left behind

Vaccine equity remains a key principle of Wales’ vaccination programme. The ‘nobody left behind’ principle, embedded into our vaccination strategy, is built on the premise that everyone should have fair access and fair opportunity to take up the offer of a vaccination.

Health Boards are continuing to work in partnership with wider stakeholder groups and key partners. The NHS will continue to make the vaccine available and accessible to achieve high levels of uptake.

The National Immunisation Framework describes vaccination equity as being at the core of service design and delivery.  The Framework outlines key actions to make this a reality for all vaccination programmes.

Since commencement of the Winter Respiratory Vaccination Programme on 1 September:

• 966,067 COVID-19 boosters have been given (as at 28 November 2022)
• 13,734 COVID-19 boosters have been given to staff working in care homes (as at 28 November 2022)
• 11,978 COVID-19 boosters have been given to care home residents (as at 28 November 2022)
• 32,941 COVID-19 boosters have been given to people who are severely immunosuppressed (as at 28 November)

The summary of flu uptake published by Public Health Wales on 25 November notes the following uptake levels, which are broadly in line with previous years at this point in the campaign:

• 69.2% of 65 years and older
• 35.2% of those at risk aged 6 months to 64 years
• 30.9% of children aged 2 and 3 years
• 33.7% of NHS staff

More data on flu uptake will become available as the programme progresses.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has offered an appointment to everyone who is eligible for the autumn booster. This is helping protect people in the health board area against COVID-19. 

The health board issued nearly a quarter of a million appointment letters by 8 November 2022. This means they are a month ahead of target to offer the vaccine to everyone eligible by the end of November.

More than 50% of all people (120,000 - figure correct at 07.11.22) in the health board area have received their autumn booster. All remaining appointments are now booked in up until Christmas.

The vaccine will help support the immunity of those who are at higher risk from COVID-19. This will improve protection against severe illness. This will also support the NHS during winter.

COVID-19 booster

All those eligible will receive an invitation for their COVID-19 booster by 30 November. 

Flu vaccination

All those eligible will receive an invitation for their flu vaccine by 31 December.

Public Health Wales has FAQs about the vaccines and safety. They also publish regular surveillance data releases.

Read a range of information on our vaccination programme, including how to get your vaccination.