Covid vaccine eligibility to be changed

FEWER people in Wales will be eligible for the latest Covid booster jab this autumn.

The Welsh Government has announced that the jab will be given to over-65s rather than over-55s.

This follows on from advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises the UK governments on vaccinations.

Professor Wei Shen Lim, chair of Covid-19 immunisation on the JCVI, said the programme will “continue to focus on those at greatest risk of getting seriously ill”.

In a statement, Health Minister Eluned Morgan confirmed the Welsh Government would follow this advice.

The change to the vaccine booster programme comes as a new Covid variant named Eris has begun to spread across the UK.

Ms Morgan said: “As ever the primary aim of the Covid-19 vaccination programme is to boost immunity in those at higher risk from Covid-19 and to improve protection against severe illness, hospitalisation and death.”

For autumn, the JCVI is recommending a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine be offered to residents in a care home for older adults; all adults aged 65 years and over; persons aged six months to 64 years in a clinical risk group; frontline health and social care workers; persons aged 12 to 64 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression; persons aged 16 to 64 years who are carers; and staff working in care homes for older adults

Ms Morgan added: “Given the high proportion of older adults with comorbidities and the higher uptake seen in universal agebased programmes, the JCVI considers at this transition stage of the pandemic recovery it is cost-effective and appropriate to offer vaccination to all adults aged 65 years and over.”

Planning is under way by the NHS to prepare for the autumn booster programme. Those eligible will be contacted in due course.