Covid vaccines in Wales: Only over-65s offered booster

The autumn booster last year was taken up by 60% of those aged 50 to 64 but will now be only offered to those at that age group at clinical risk

People in their 50s and early 60s in Wales will not routinely be offered a Covid-19 booster vaccination this autumn, the health minister has said.

Eluned Morgan said the advice from independent experts "differs slightly" from last year's booster programme, which reached more than 413,000 people aged between 50 and 64.

Anyone of those ages will now only be offered a booster if at medical risk.

More than 1.1m doses of vaccine were given out last autumn.

Further details are expected on when the programme will begin, and planning is under way.

Ms Morgan said the primary aim was to boost immunity in those at higher risk from Covid and to improve protection against severe illness, hospitalisation and death.

She has accepted the recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which advises UK nations.

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In a statement, Ms Morgan said: "Given the high proportion of older adults with comorbidities and the higher uptake seen in universal age-based 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".

Who will be offered the autumn booster?

• Elderly care home residents in a care home for older adults

• All adults over 65

• Those aged six months to 65 who are clinically at risk - including those with chronic heart disease, bad asthma, chronic kidney and neurological conditions.

• Health and social care workers and care home workers

• Those who are household contacts for those with immunosuppression

Last year's programme saw about 83% of the over-65s reached and 89% of elderly care home residents.

The over-75s were also offered a booster this spring, reaching nearly three-quarters of that age group.

The criteria for this autumn's Covid vaccine programme is in line with the flu vaccine programme.