Eligible adults being invited for autumn Covid booster jab

Eligible adults in Wales have begun to be invited for their COVID-19 autumn booster this week. 

The roll-out will begin at the start of September 2022 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 2022-23. 

The winter respiratory vaccination strategy aims to ensure that people who are eligible are also protected from seasonal flu and they are urged 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 16-49 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. 

Eligible adults will mostly be invited via letter to attend a vaccination centre, GP or pharmacy for their autumn booster vaccination. 

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “As the UK moves from a period of pandemic emergency response to recovery, our focus will be on protecting those in society who continue to be more at risk of severe COVID-19. 

“Vaccines have had an enormous impact on the course of the pandemic and have helped to weaken the link between the virus, serious illness, hospitalisations and death. They have saved countless lives and given us the freedom and confidence to restart our lives. 

“I urge anyone who is eligible and invited to have the autumn booster this year to take up the offer and I thank everyone working on the vaccination programme in Wales.”