CARE home residents, front line health and care staff, over-50s and those who are immunosuppressed will be offered a coronavirus booster jab from today in Wales.

The autumn Covid booster vaccine roll-out has started today (September 1) in Wales, with those who are eligible being contacted by their health board.

The Welsh Government has said that everyone who is eligible for a booster will be offered one by December, with the most vulnerable being offered their booster first.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that the following groups are offered a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine booster:

  • 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 and over;
  • People aged five to 49 who are in a clinical risk group;
  • People aged five to 49 who are household contacts of people who are immunosuppressed;
  • 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 and over will initially be offered the Moderna vaccine, which protects from both the original strain of coronavirus 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.

The vaccines will be administered in a variety of settings including GP surgeries and vaccination centres.

Those who are offered a Covid booster jab and are eligible for a flu vaccine as well are being encouraged to take up the flu jab – which will be offered before the end of 2022.

“Our winter respiratory vaccination programme will help protect the most vulnerable in our communities from flu and coronavirus this winter,” said health minister Eluned Morgan. “The Covid-19 booster campaign will start with those in care homes, alongside those working within the NHS and the social care sector.

“Vaccines have had an enormous impact on the course of the pandemic - they have saved countless lives and given us the freedom and confidence to restart our lives.

“I want to thank everyone working in the NHS and other organisations who will once again lead efforts to protect the most vulnerable through vaccination.

“This year, we will once again offer an expanded flu programme, with 1.5 million people being eligible for a free vaccine.

“I would encourage anyone who is eligible to take up their invitation to help themselves.”

All eligible adults will be invited for their autumn Covid-19 booster via letter and text message from their health board by December and I would ask people not to contact their GPs about their invite so they can continue to focus on looking after people’s health.