Elderly and most vulnerable to remain priority as Welsh Government updates Covid vaccine strategy for 2022

Wales’ Covid vaccination rollout is set to be integrated with existing immunisation programmes such as flu.

The Welsh Government has published its updated Covid vaccination strategy setting out the plans for 2022 which sees the elderly and most vulnerable remain the priority.

A National Immunisation Framework published today (Thursday 24th February), is being designed and developed at pace, with the “ambition of delivering world leading outcomes in vaccine preventable diseases,” the government has said.

It will cover all of Wales’ vaccination programmes including Covid-19 and flu and aims to encourage high levels of uptake, reduce mortality, ensure equity of access and opportunity, effective deployment and provide value for money.

Across Wales more than 6.8m doses of Covid-19 vaccinations have been administered.

More than 91 per cent of the over-12 population of Wales have been vaccinated with at least one dose; 86 per cent with at least two doses and 70 per cent with a third dose and/or a booster.

In north Wales almost 1.5 million vaccines have been carried out.

Throughout the pandemic, primary care has maintained high levels of routine vaccine protection in children under one year old maintaining uptake rates of more than 95 per cent.

The school health service continues to deliver the school vaccination programme in a challenging environment.

As part of the new Welsh Government strategy elderly, vulnerable and those at greatest risk will remain the priority for vaccination.

It also sets out how health boards have been meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in their communities and how they have ensured under-served groups, such as those from minority ethnic backgrounds, disabled people and people who live in economically disadvantaged households, have been given trusted information about vaccination.

An autumn booster campaign has been confirmed, with details expected to be announced at a later date.

There is also confirmation that digital services for vaccination are now in place including a two-way text rescheduling service, which was launched in November, and an online rebooking service, launched in February.

The online rebooking service has been designed with the intention of having a life beyond the pandemic, to support non-Covid-19 vaccination programmes in the future.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “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 in the midst of an ongoing global health emergency.

“This strategy sets out our plans for 2022 and beyond, including a commitment to deliver a regular Covid-19 vaccination programme while planning for any potential surge capacity, should we need to, in the case of a new pandemic wave or a new coronavirus variant.

“I want to thank everyone who has come forward to be vaccinated and made the decision to protect themselves and others.

“I also want to thank the many thousands of people working in our vaccination programme including all staff and volunteers.”