Everyone over 18 likely to get booster jab in Wales after independent advisory committee recommendation

Everyone over the age of 18 should now be given a third ‘booster’ jab against Covid, an independent advisory committee has said.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which advises the governments of the UK, said that that a third vaccine jab should be available to all adults following the discovery of the potentially more transmissible Omicron variant.

The advised gap between the second jab and the booster should now be shortened to just three months, they said. They also recommended a fourth jab for the severely immunosuppressed and a second jab for 12-15 year olds.

The Welsh Government has tended to stick closely to the JCVI’s guidance in the past, meaning that they are likely to roll out boosters for over-18s in Wales too.

JCVI said these boosters should be made up of either a Pfizer vaccine or a half dose of the Moderna jab.

At the moment only over 40s can get the booster jab in Wales and have it at least six months after the second jab.

Nine cases of Omicron have been identified in England, but none yet in Wales. The First Minister Mark Drakeford has said that the Cabinet has met to discuss what now restrictions could be brought in to tackle the virus.

Earlier Downing Street rejected calls from the Scottish and Welsh first ministers for tougher travel restrictions and an urgent meeting to tackle the threat posed by the new Omicron variant.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We would confirm any plans for a cobra meeting in the normal way. Currently, there isn’t one scheduled.

“We obviously speak to our devolved administration counterparts very regularly and we will continue to coordinate our response with them.”